India, March 20 -- The BJP on Thursday released its first list of 88 candidates for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, dropping 16 sitting MLAs. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will contest from his traditional Jalukbari seat, which he has held since 2001.

Polling in the 126-member Assembly will be held on April 9, with counting scheduled for May 4. The BJP plans to contest 89 seats, leaving 26 for the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and 11 for the Bodoland People's Front (BPF). The party is yet to announce its candidate for Sissiborgaon.

The BJP's Central Election Committee finalised the list at a meeting chaired by party president Nitin Nabin on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Sh...