BJP leader and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Opposition Congress Candidate Gaurav Gogoi, filed their nominations on Tuesday for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Assam.

Former Chief Minister and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal filed his nomination from the Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency, and Gaurav Gogoi, the son of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi filed his nomination from the Jorhat Lok Sabha constituency.

On the other hand, Rozlina Tirkey, the Congress candidate from Kaziranga, and Pradan Baruah, the BJP candidate from Lakhimpur, also filed their nominations.

Sonowal filed his nomination at the Deputy Commissioner's office after leading a massive procession from the old High School ground at Phoolbagan in Dibrugarh.

He was accompanied by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, State BJP President Bhabesh Kalita, and Dibrugarh Lok Sabha MP Rameswar Teli.

Similarly, In Jorhat, Gaurav Gogoi filed his nomination papers at the Deputy Commissioner's office accompanied by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Bhupen Borah, Rakibul Hussain, and Raijor Dal President Akhil Gogoi, leading a massive procession.

Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) President Lurinjyoti Gogoi, a strong opposition candidate in the Dibrugarh constituency contesting against Sonowal, also filed his nomination on Tuesday with a large number of supporters. During the filing of the nomination, Lurinjyoti was accompanied by Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Bora and Akhil Gogoi.

Significantly, political experts have predicted a tough fight between BJP's Sarbananda Sonowal and AJP's Lurinjyoti Gogoi. In Jorhat, the sitting BJP MP Tapan Gogoi is facing a tough challenge from Congress candidate Gaurav Gogoi.

In the first phase, five Lok Sabha constituencies - Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Kaziranga, Nagaon, and Lakhimpur - will go to polls on March 19. The last date for filing nominations is March 27. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 28. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 30.

(With UNI inputs)