{
  "id": 13140827,
  "title": "Why BJP deals a body blow to Badruddin Ajmal as Nagaon sees a shift in Muslim vote",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/why-bjp-deals-a-body-blow-to-badruddin-ajmal-as-nagaon-sees-a-shift",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-09T15:02:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/nagaon-lok-sabha-bypoll-result-bjp-devasish-sharma-defeats-aiudf-badruddin-ajmal-assam-minority-politics-shift-10914526/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The recent bypoll in Nagaon, Assam, has dealt a significant blow to Badruddin Ajmal, a key Muslim leader in the state. With BJP candidate Devasish Sharma winning the seat with 49.52% of the votes, Ajmal saw his support dip to 38.9%. The AIUDF, led by Ajmal, has traditionally been the main opposition to the Congress, which had a near-monopoly over the Muslim vote in Assam for over two decades. However, the 2023 delimitation exercise shifted the constituency's demographics, with its Muslim population now estimated to be over 50%. This shift has led to a change in the political landscape, with Sharma's popularity and background as a former IAS officer and popular local deputy commissioner winning him support from a section of minority voters. Ajmal's political stock has fallen, and the BJP's rise has shifted the allegiance of a significant portion of the Muslim vote from the AIUDF to the BJP.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "BJP candidate Devasish Sharma wins Nagaon bypoll with 49.52% votes",
    "Badruddin Ajmal's support dips to 38.9% as AIUDF loses Muslim vote share",
    "Demographic shift in Nagaon changes political landscape, BJP gains Muslim support"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}