Campaign ends for first phase of Assam polls
Guwahati: Assam chief minister and Congress veteran Tarun Gogoi, BJP’s chief ministerial candidates and Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Atul Bora are prominent among the total 539 candidates for the first phase of Assam Assembly polls to be held on April 4 next.
Curtain comes down on Saturday on electioneering for the firth phase polls in which total 539 candidates including 43 women are in the fray in 65 legislative Assembly constituencies (LACs)Three-time chief minister, octogenarian Tarun Gogoi by his own admission is fighting the last Assembly polls.
But it is going to be the toughest poll battle of his life as the BJP has fielded its popular young MP from tea tribe community Kamakhya Prasad Tasa against him.
“It is first time since 2001, Tarun Gogoi has faced a high-profile opponent in Titabor LAC. But he is going to sail through as people of Titabor takes pride that their MLA is a three-time chief minister who have changed the face of the constituency for better in the last 15 years,” said Gogoi’s campaign manager and leader of Thengal-Kachari ethnic community, Kumud Kachari.
The BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Sarbanada Sonowal faces a three-cornered contest in river island constituency Majuli where he is pitted against sitting Congress MLA and former minister Rajib Lochan Pegu and Ranjit Doley of Sanmilita Gana Shakti, a political party of Mising tribe community that dominates the demography in Majuli LAC having over 1.14 lakh voters.
Sonowal banks on the people’s pent up anger against successive Congress governments for failing to improve road communication, health and education facilities, generate livelihood options in the picturesque but backward Majuli river island that is considered the nerve centre of vaishnavite religion and culture in the state.
The president of the AGP, Atul Bora is contesting from Bokakhat LAC. His arch rival is the sitting Congress MLA, Arun Phukon in the tea tribe voters dominated constituency.
The LACS that are going for polls in the first phase are: Ratabari, Patharkandi, Karimganj North, Karimganj South, Badarpur, Hailakandi, Katlichera, Algapur, Silchar, Sonai, Dholai, Udharbond, Lakhipur, Barkhola, Katigora, Haflong, Bokajan, Howraghat, Diphu, Baithalangsu, Paneri, Udalguri, Majbat, Dhekiajuli, Barchalla, Tezpur, Sootea, Biswanath, Behali, Gohpur, Bokakhat, Sorupathar, Rongapara, Chabua, Golaghat, Khumtai, Dergaon, Jorhat, Majuli, Naharkatia, Titabor, Mariani, Teok, Aamguri, Mahmora, Nazira, Sonari, Thowra, Sivasagar, Bihpuria, Naobaicha, Lakhimpur, Sadiya, Dhakuakhana, Dhemaji, Jonai, Moran, Dibrugarh, Lahowal, Duliajaan, Margherita, Doomdooma, Digboi, Tinsukia, Tinkhong. The man contest in the first phase will be between the ruling Congress and the AGP-BJP alliance in Brahmaputra valley constituencies while in Barak valley constituencies the fight will be among the
Congress, BJP and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) led by Badaruddin Ajmal.
The BJP-AGP alliance have planked their campaign against the Congress on corruption, failure solve unemployment problem, family-oriented politics while the Congress has been targeting the BJP for trying to polarise the society in Assam on religious line and failing to keep tall promises made during 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
The AIUDF and the BJP attack each other for trying to divide the society on religious line. The BJP also accuses the Congress of having secret understanding with the AIUDF.