Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia says Dilwar Hussain’s selection was “unfortunate” and blamed it on a technical glitch.

A Congress candidate arrested twice for alleged involvement in rhino poaching has won the Gram Panchayat president’s seat from Suwaguri in northeastern Assam’s Biswanath district.

The victory of Dilwar Hussain has left the Congress red-faced. Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, who represents the Congress from the Nazira seat, said this was “unfortunate” and blamed it on a technical glitch.

“I don’t know how this happened. We had cancelled his candidature. Probably, the withdrawal time was over, or there might have been a technical glitch because of which he could still contest and win. It is unfortunate. Any decision on him will be taken by the party president,” Mr. Saikia said.

Before the elections on December 5, Assam Congress president Ripun Bora had said that the party had rejected Mr. Hussain’s candidature.

Mr. Hussain was allegedly involved in killing rhinos at Kaziranga National Park in 2011, and a case had been registered against him at Biswanath Chariali Police Station.

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), too, had fielded Ganesh Doley, who served jail in cases of rhino poaching and illegal trade in wildlife body parts. He lost to a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Moridhansiri Gaon Panchayat seat in eastern Assam’s Golaghat district.