Bypolls a litmus test for BJP-led government in Assam

GUWAHATI: Bypolls to four Assembly constituencies will be a litmus test for the ruling BJP-led government’s popularity in Assam ahead of the Assembly polls in the state in 2021. BJP has started preparation for these seats which will go to the polls on October 21.
This election is held at a time when the ruling BJP has expressed its unhappiness over the recently published final National Register of Citizens (NRC) which has excluded over 19 lakh people.

The four Assembly seats that will go to by-election are Sonari, Rangapara, Ratabari and Jania. Except Jania which was under the Congress’ hold, three constituencies were won by the BJP in 2016.

By-election was necessitated as Tapan Gogoi (Sonari), Pallab Lochan Das (Rangapara), and Kripanath Mallah (Ratabari) of BJP respectively won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Jania MLA Abdul Kalaquewon the Lok Sabha polls from Barpeta and vacated the seat. While Gogoi was power minister, Das was labour minister. Soon after the poll dates were announced, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal (in picture) held a video conference with Union home minister, Amit Shah. Sonowal exuded confidence that the BJP will win all the four seats. “We are confident that we will win all the four seats for we have done peoplecentric work in these years. We have been working for the people’s welfare and electorates have confidence in our performance,” Sonowal said.

BJP will soon convene meeting of Pristha Pramukhs (page incharge). The party has over three lakh page in-charges. For the four constituencies, the party will present a list of 12 candidates to the party’s central committee.

Assam unit president of BJP Ranjeet Kumar Dass told mediapersons: “ We will have a series of meetings with Pristha Pramukhs. The election committee of the party will meet on September 25 and we will send 12 names, three each for four constituencies to the central committee. We are geared for the polls and our workers are already on the ground.”