Lok Sabha election: BJP in search of candidate in Barak

SILCHAR: Following the delimitation, the Karimganj Lok Sabha seat, being unreserved for the first time after the independence, turned out to be a tough constituency for the BJP as Muslim voters outnumbered the Hindus majorly. Muslim voters were reportedly 2.60 lakhs more than the Hindu voters. In this backdrop, while aspiring candidates jammed the Congress and the AIUDF offices, the ruling party office visibly wore a lacklustre look. The outgoing MP Kripanath Mallah seemed to have little chance for another berth as his party might not take the risk of fielding two SC candidates in the Barak Valley. The prestigious Silchar Lok Sabha seat had been reserved for the SC community in the recent delimitation. And here too, no prominent figure had till now shown interest for the nomination. State’s Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, a representative of the SC community, had a bright chance, but he had expressed his unwillingness to contest the Lok Sabha election. Zila Parishad member Amiyo Kanti Das, advocate Nihar Kanti Das and Swapan Suklabaidya, a college teacher as well as a leading member of the Viswa Hindu Parishad were the forerunners for the BJP nomination for Silchar seat.

In Karimganj, however, senior BJP leader as well as former MLA Mission Ranjan Das had reportedly stated that he was ready to contest if the party nominates. Other aspiring candidates included district BJP district president Subrata Bhattacharjee, state vice president Biswarup Bhattacharjee. In a significant turn of event, a group of leading Muslim citizens had recently met Das and requested him to contest in the ensuing election. Das, in return, told that he had no objection, but the final decision would be taken by the party high command.

The saffron brigade in the entire northeast had its roots in this Bengali-dominated valley, and election, be it for Assembly or the Lok Sabha, the BJP offices used to be agog with aspiring candidates. But this seemed to be a chapter of the history after the delimitation.

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