Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday launched another attack on All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal, questioning the veteran politician’s ability to effectively represent Assam in Parliament and attributing the change to advancing age.

Sarma said Ajmal, whom he described as once being a formidable political force, had lost some of his political strength over the years.

“Badruddin Ajmal has aged. He is no longer a tiger,” the Chief Minister said.

He added that Ajmal was once a powerful political figure, but age had gradually weakened him.

The Chief Minister also questioned whether Ajmal possessed the political strength required to represent Assam in Parliament, saying he was no longer in a position to effectively raise the state’s issues at the national level.

The remarks come amid an ongoing political exchange between Sarma and Ajmal ahead of the October 6 Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll, in which Ajmal is among the candidates in the fray.

Sarma had earlier suggested that Ajmal should consider stepping away from active electoral politics and allow the next generation of AIUDF leaders, including his sons, to take the organisation forward.

Ajmal, a prominent minority community leader in Assam, is a former three-term Lok Sabha member who represented the Dhubri constituency.

He currently serves as an MLA from Binnakandi after winning the 2026 Assam Assembly election.

The Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll has emerged as an important political contest in the state, with candidates from several major parties contesting the seat.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Debashish Sharma, while Congress has nominated Sibamoni Bora.

Ajmal is also contesting the bypoll, making the election a closely watched political battle in Assam.

Polling for the Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election is scheduled for October 6, while counting of votes will take place on October 9.

The latest exchange between Sarma and Ajmal comes as political parties intensify campaigning and sharpen attacks on rivals ahead of polling.

Ajmal’s political influence and his party’s support base among sections of Assam’s electorate have made him a prominent figure in the state’s politics.