SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT SILCHAR:
BJPs' Assembly Election Performance in Barak Valley: MP Dr Rajdeep Roy: MP Dr Rajdeep Roy, a poll strategist, blames it on infighting and wrong choice of candidates for the poor show of the BJP in the Barak Valley.
The BJP was expecting 10 of the 15 Assembly seats in the Valley, but it had to remain contented with six seats. This is even though heavyweight star campaigners like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, MP Manoj Tiwari, and a host of State leaders addressed largely attended public rallies at different places in the Valley. Were these huge gatherings deceptive index of public support? Large crowds are not always indicative of a swing of votes for a party.
The BJP in the Barak Valley had the record of winning 9 of the 15 Assembly seats, and both the parliamentary seats of Silchar and Kaimganj in 1991. In 2019, the party bagged both the MP seats. In 2016, it repeated its performance of 1991 of winning 9 Assembly seats.
Dr Rajdeep Roy said, "We've to analyse and examine the factors behind the debacle and rectify them for a better result in future.
"Sabotage within the party caused the defeat of its candidates, Aminul Haque Laskar at Sonai and Gautom Roy in Katigorah seats. Ashis Halder, the rebel, cut into substantial Hindu votes to upset the victory of Aminul Haque Laskar. Gautom Roy contesting from Katigorah was inching towards the majority mark but internal sabotage by some party leaders, dragging in the local versus outsider issue, spoiled his game plan.
"Questions have also been raised about the selection of candidates for Borkhola and Lakhipur. In the Borkhola seat, the winner of 2016 Kishore Nath was replaced by an obscure candidate Mrinmoy Das, inexperienced and unknown in politics. Though Kaushik Rai won from Lakhipur, a Congress bastion, he should have been fielded from Katigorah to give a better fight to upset the apple cart of INC candidate Khalil Uddin Mazumder. And Rajdeep Goala should not have been disturbed in the family forte of Lakhipur. His father has been on a winning spree on his home turf for seven consecutive terms as a Congress candidate. After he died in 2012, Rajdeep Goala kept aloft the flag of victory in the subsequent by-election and general election of 2016.
Rajdeep Goala switched over to BJP just two months ago of the 2021 general election. Denial of the ticket to such a winnable candidate took many in the party by surprise. Similarly, the selection of candidates for North Karimganj and Badarpur seats was also questioned within the party. BJP put up its candidate, Moon Swarnakar, against AGP nominee of Algapur Aftab Uddin Choudhury in violation of the principle of the tie-up."
This internal rift created an easy passage for AIUDF to win. The question was also raised in giving ticket to a weak candidate, Milon Das by BJP on Hailakandi seat, replacing Saukat Dutta Chowdhury, a strong contender who was just a few votes away from AIUDF in 2016.
Dr Rajdeep Roy said, "The setback and the causes of debacle will be taken up for discussion at the district-level meetings of the party soon for corrective measures."