Former IAS Officer Debashish Sharma Gets BJP Ticket for Assam’s Nagaon Lok Sabha Bypoll
Former IAS officer Debashish Sharma has been named the BJP candidate for the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll, days after taking voluntary retirement as the district commissioner and joining the party.
The BJP has named former IAS officer Debashish Sharma as its candidate for the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll in Assam. The election is scheduled for October 6, with vote counting set to take place on October 9.
Sharma took voluntary retirement from government service on September 3 while serving as the Nagaon District Commissioner. He joined the BJP on September 8 and was given the party ticket two days later.
The Nagaon Lok Sabha seat became vacant after Pradyut Bordoloi, who had won the constituency on a Congress ticket in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, later joined the BJP and won the Dispur seat in the recent Assembly polls.
Sharma’s entry into the electoral contest comes amid questions raised by the Congress over decisions taken during his tenure as Nagaon District Commissioner. Congress MP Rakibul Hussain had recently approached the Assam Chief Electoral Officer seeking a review of various decisions taken during Sharma’s tenure and requesting appropriate action.
The Chief Electoral Officer’s office subsequently forwarded the complaint to the Election Commission for further action and instructions.
Sharma has a background in both administration and public service. He holds a degree in English literature and a postgraduate qualification in public relations. He joined the Assam Civil Services in 1992 and began his career with a posting in Barpeta.
During his administrative career, Sharma served as Special Officer to then Assam Governor Lt Gen SK Sinha. He also served as Deputy Resident Commissioner of Assam Bhawan in Mumbai, where he represented the Assam government in Maharashtra.
His other postings included Commissioner of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation and District Commissioner of Morigaon. He was later transferred to Nagaon, where he served as District Commissioner before taking voluntary retirement.
Apart from his administrative career, Sharma is associated with Deepshikha, a cancer care organisation, where he serves as founding chairman and trustee.
With Sharma now officially in the electoral race, the BJP has finalised its candidate for the Nagaon bypoll. The contest was necessitated after Bordoloi vacated the Lok Sabha constituency following his victory from Dispur in the Assam Assembly election.
