JAMUGURIHAT: In the run up to the general election 2024, the major political parties are seen intensifying their campaign among the voters in Sonitpur HPC to woo their support to win the first phase of the election scheduled for April 19.
With a total of 16,28,326 voters, the Sonitpur Lok Sabha constituency (formerly known as the Tezpur Lok Sabha constituency) is viewed as a potential contender due to its demographics and historical electoral trends. The nine LACs in the constituency are Bihpuria LAC (Lakhimpur), Biswanath, Gohpur, and Behali LACs (Biswanath), and Tezpur, Naduar (formerly known as Sootea), Barchala, Rangapara, and Dhekiajuli LACs (Sonitpur).
Scheduled for the first phase on April 19, the electoral picture of Sonitpur Lok Sabha segment witnessed a three way game between Bharattiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) among the eight contestants including Rishiraj Kaundinya (AAP), Premlal Ganju (INC), Ranjit Dutta (BJP), Raju Deuri (BPF), Alam Ali (Bahujan Maha Party), Kameswar Swrgiary (Voters Party International), Rinku Roy (Gana Suraksha Party) and the independent candidate Pradip Bhandari. The current political environment presents a picture that ruling party BJP candidate Ranjit Dutta and major opposition party Congress projected candidate Premlal Ganju and AAP candidate Rishiraj Kaundinya are vying for victory taking forward their own agenda and issues among the voters.
In the last general election in 2019 existing parliamentarian Pallab Lochan Das playing on the BJP card won the seat with a total of 6,84,166 votes defeating his nearest Congress candidate MGVK Bhanu by a margin of 2,42,841 votes.
Chronologically over the years the 11 No- Prestigious Sonitpur (Tezpur) HPC was represented by Swarup Upaidhyay (INC) in 1991, Iswar Prasanna Hazarika (INC) in 1996 while Moni Kumar Subba dominated the constituency constantly for three consecutive terms from 1998 to 2004 contesting from Indian National Congress (INC). Later in 2009 AGP’s Joseph Toppo could capture the seat while the victory of RP Sarmah and Pallab Lochan Das in 2014 and 2019 respectively continued the BJP’s hold on the prestigious seat.
Meanwhile, the overall poll scenario in the constituency indicates that a straight fight between the BJP, Congress and AAP is likely for the Sonitpur Lok Sabha seat even though BPF candidate Raju Deuri may influence a section of the voters as a section here always wants such qualified candidate to raise their voice rightly in the parliament.
However, BJP is banking on the overall development witnessed in the constituency under its regime and the Congress and AAP is depending mostly on the BJP’s anti-people policies including forceful implementation of CAA, skyrocketing price hike of essential commodities among others to woo the voters.
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