From ‘kingmaker’ to underdog: Badruddin Ajmal leads by 27,967 votes in toughest post-delimitation test

ALl bharat United popular face (AIUDF) founding chairman and veteran soldier leader Badruddin Ajmal, contesting the 2026 Assam Assembly elections from the newly carved Binnakandi constituency in Hojai district, was leading with 89,452 votes, ahead by 27,967 votes, while Rejaul Karim Chowdhury of the Assam Jatiya Parishad trailed with 61,485 votes; Shahab Uddin Majumdar of the Asom Gana Parishad was in third place with 14,660 votes, behind by 74,792.A three-time former Member of Parliament and a renowned Islamic theologian, Ajmal is leading the AIUDF as an independent force this cycle, aiming to re-establish his political dominance following a setback in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.ALSO READ: AIUDF leader Badruddin Ajmal looks to regain support in Binnakandi in Assam assembly elections 2026Ajmal’s 2026 campaign is positioned as a critical "homecoming" to state politics. Moving back to the Hojai belt, which includes parts of his family’s traditional stronghold, he has framed the election as a battle to protect the "political identity" of minorities in Assam. On the campaign trail, Ajmal has been vocal about the impacts of the 2023 delimitation process and has promised to fight against the "arbitrary targeting" of minority communities while focusing on the economic upliftment of the flood-prone regions of Lower and Central Assam.Early LifeBorn on February 12, 1950, in Hojai, Badruddin Ajmal is the son of the late Haji Ajmal Ali, who transformed a modest rice farming background into the global Ajmal Perfumes empire. Ajmal is a highly respected scholar, holding a Master’s degree in Theology and Arabic from Darul Uloom Deoband. Beyond politics, he is a leading philanthropist, serving as the CEO of the Ajmal Foundation, which operates 25 educational institutions and several hospitals, including the landmark Haji Abdul Majid Memorial Hospital in Hojai. He also serves as the State President of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind for Assam.ALSO READ: ‘Badruddin Ajmal should marry before elections’: Himanta Biswa Sarma on UCCAbout Binnakandi constituencyThe Binnakandi constituency was carved out from the old Jamunamukh segment during the 2023 delimitation. It is a high-stakes seat with over 2.6 lakh voters, located in the heart of the Ajmal family’s influence zone. In his 2026 affidavit, Ajmal declared total assets worth approximately ₹226.31 Crore, a significant jump from his previous declarations, making him once again the wealthiest candidate in the state.For the 2026 polls, Ajmal faces a direct challenge from the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which has fielded Shahab Uddin Majumdar under the NDA banner. Ajmal’s campaign has centred on the "Hojai Model" of development, emphasising education and the promotion of the Oud (agarwood) industry as a primary source of rural income. If elected, he has promised to establish a specialised university for Islamic and modern studies in the district.What happened in the previous elections?While the AIUDF won 16 seats in the 2021 Assembly elections as part of a "Grand Alliance," the 2026 cycle sees Ajmal fighting solo after being excluded from the Congress-led Asom Sonmilito Morcha. This election is personal for Ajmal, who lost his long-held Dhubri Lok Sabha seat in 2024 to Congress’s Rakibul Hussain.ALSO READ: Assam polls: Badruddin Ajmal's AIUDF emerging as a new alternative?Before his 2024 defeat, Ajmal was a three-term MP (2009–2024) and had previously made a spectacular assembly debut in 2006 by winning two seats (South Salmara and Jamunamukh) simultaneously. His return to the assembly fray in Binnakandi is viewed as a strategic move to secure a legislative foothold and ensure the AIUDF remains a factor in state-level power dynamics. Polling in Binnakandi concluded on April 9, 2026, with Ajmal predicting his party will hold the "key to Dispur" after the results on May 4.