Margherita : The defection of senior leader and Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi to the Bharatiya Janata Party has cast uncertainty over the electoral prospects of his son, Prateek Bordoloi, who is eyeing his debut from the 83rd Margherita Legislative Assembly Constituency on a Indian National Congress ticket.

Prateek Bordoloi, currently serving as Co-Chairman of the APCC Social Media and IT Cell, has been preparing for months for his maiden electoral contest, building a grassroots network and projecting himself as a young Congress face in Upper Assam.

However, his father’s sudden switch to the BJP – formalised in New Delhi in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and state BJP president Dilip Saikia – has complicated the political narrative in Margherita.

The immediate fallout was visible at the local Congress Bhawan, where party workers tore down posters of the senior Bordoloi within hours of his defection. Notably, posters of Prateek Bordoloi were left untouched, indicating an attempt by party cadres to separate the son’s political journey from his father’s decision.

Despite this, uncertainty persists. Party insiders said the development has created confusion among grassroots workers and voters, raising concerns over loyalty, perception, and campaign messaging.

While some local leaders believe Prateek’s sustained organisational work and constituency outreach may help him retain support, others fear the BJP could leverage the high-profile defection to question his credibility during the campaign.

Adding to the suspense, Prateek Bordoloi’s candidature has not yet been finalised. Sources said other aspirants, including Satender Prasad and Annadita Goswami, remain in contention, with the party leadership assessing the political impact of Pradyut Bordoloi’s exit before taking a final call.

For Prateek Bordoloi, the next few hours are critical. If retained, he will have to navigate a complex campaign shaped by a politically sensitive family divide. If dropped, it would mark a major setback to his electoral debut despite months of groundwork.

A decision on ticket distribution is expected later in the day, keeping Margherita at the centre of attention as the fallout of a father’s political shift continues to influence a son’s uncertain electoral path.

 The political fallout from Pradyut Bordoloi’s switch to the Bharatiya Janata Party intensified on Wednesday, with senior Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi extending support to his son Prateek Bordoloi, who now finds himself at the centre of a political storm ahead of the Assembly polls.

Terming the senior Bordoloi’s defection as “very unfortunate”, Gogoi said the Indian National Congress had stood by him during the Lok Sabha elections and had also accommodated his family in the Assembly ticket distribution.

“Despite that, he has left due to personal reasons,” Gogoi said, reacting to the development.

Backing the younger Bordoloi, who is preparing to contest from Margherita, Gogoi expressed sympathy and indicated that the party would support him during the crisis. “All my sympathies are with him. I never thought he would have to face such a situation. I will call him and let him decide what he wants to do further,” he said.

Gogoi also framed the upcoming Assembly elections as a crucial battle for Assam’s future, positioning it as a contest against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He claimed that various sections of society, including women, tea tribes and youth, were not in favour of Sarma returning to power, though he described Bordoloi’s support for the Chief Minister as a personal decision.

On alliance prospects, Gogoi said he had spoken to Akhil Gogoi regarding a possible tie-up with the Raijor Dal, adding that further steps would depend on their response.

Referring to a recent visit to Bordoloi’s residence, Gogoi asserted that the election was not about individuals but about “freeing the state” from what he alleged as fear, corruption and divisive politics. He also raised allegations over land distribution, claiming that while many poor families were denied land pattas and faced increasing revenue burdens, large tracts were allegedly concentrated in the hands of a single family.

Maintaining that the Congress remains organisationally strong in regions such as Lakhimpur, Gogoi said the party is preparing for a tough electoral contest. “This election is important for the youth and the new generation. I have pulled up my socks to defeat Himanta Biswa Sarma,” he said.

With Prateek Bordoloi caught in the crosscurrents of his father’s political realignment, the coming days are expected to be critical in shaping both his electoral prospects in Margherita and the Congress party’s broader campaign strategy.