Guwahati: A new band of fair weather politicians is crowding the political arena in Assam. When an election is round the corner, these new breed of politicians usually flock to the political party whose fortunes are apparently on the upswing at that juncture.
This band of politicians includes former militant leaders and popular singers and artistes in the state who want to have a brush with the power too.
Some of the former militant leaders who have come over ground and are doing extremely well in their business of making money and aspire to remain close to the power that be, join political parties either to contest polls or to finance some influential politicians in the election.
No wonder, they are now crowding the state BJP in Assam sensing that the saffron party is likely to come to power in the state after 2016 polls. Some of the former militants who have joined the BJP recently and are now shouldering responsibilities in the party include former ULFA leaders Kushal
Duwari, Prafulla Bora, Bhaskar Sharma , Tirtha Bhuyan, Shristi Dharma etc. All of them are willing to contest election in BJP ticket though they have joined the party only recently. Out of these Kushal Duwari was elected to Assam assembly as an Independent and was close to the ruling Congress party.
It is not that only the BJP has former militant leaders in its ranks. Congress too have some former militants in its ranks while Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in Assam has been being ruled by a political party formed by former militants leaders of now disbanded Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT).
Popular singer and actors in the state too have shown a discernible trend to join political parties around elections with an ambition to convert their popularity among the masses to votes in their favour during election.
This time BJP in Assam has been thronged by a large number of artistes who want to contest election in BJP ticket. Some of them are singers Jitul Sonowal, Krishnamoni Chutia, Bobita
Sharma ; actors Jatin Bora, Angoorlata, Akashdeep, Manjula Barua, Taufique Rahma, Khanjan Nath etc. Barring the legendary musician Late Bhupen Hazarika, no popular personality from the cultural field in Assam have succeeded in making it to the state Assembly so far. Still, the popular artistes are not the one to lose hope.
