Assam Elections: AJP candidate Kunki Chowdhury Faces Political Storm
As Assam heads toward the 2026 Assembly elections, AJP candidate Kunki Chowdhury finds herself at the centre of a political controversy that has shifted focus from governance to identity debates.
GUWAHATI- As the 2026 Assam Assembly elections approach, political activity in the state has intensified, with emerging candidates and established leaders engaging in increasingly sharp exchanges. At the centre of recent developments is Kunki Chowdhury, a 26-year-old candidate of the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) contesting from the Guwahati Central constituency.
Chowdhury, one of the youngest candidates in the electoral fray, initially gained attention for a campaign focused on urban governance issues, including infrastructure development, employment opportunities for youth, and improvements to Guwahati’s drainage systems. Her campaign positioned itself around policy-driven engagement, particularly targeting urban voters.
However, the trajectory of her campaign shifted following a controversy involving alleged social media posts attributed to her mother, Sujata Gurung Chowdhury. Senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, publicly raised the issue, linking the posts to broader debates around cultural practices and political affiliations.
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The BJP’s intervention has reframed the contest in Guwahati Central, transforming it from a largely civic-focused campaign into a broader ideological confrontation. The allegations have been used to question Chowdhury’s political positioning, bringing national-level narratives into a constituency-level contest.
Chowdhury has rejected the allegations, describing them as “baseless and scripted” attempts to undermine her candidacy. She has argued that the focus on her family is diverting attention from pressing urban issues faced by residents. Her mother has also responded publicly, calling for verification of the claims made against her.
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The controversy has drawn reactions from other political parties as well. Congress leader Jitendra Singh Alwa, who serves as the All India Congress Committee General Secretary in charge of Assam, criticised the remarks made by BJP leaders, describing them as inappropriate and targeting a young candidate. He also linked the episode to a broader pattern of political rhetoric in the state.
Observers note that the episode reflects a wider trend in electoral politics, where personal and identity-based issues can quickly overshadow policy debates. The Guwahati Central contest now appears to be evolving into a high-stakes political battleground, with multiple parties intensifying their outreach efforts.
As campaigning continues, the extent to which such controversies influence voter perception remains to be seen. What is evident, however, is that the electoral discourse in Assam is becoming increasingly polarised as polling day approaches.
