Assam Assembly Election: Issues against BJP fail to dissuade voters

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: In the run-up to the Assam Assembly election all odds were against the BJP – CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), NRC (National Register of Citizens), implementation of the Clause VI of the Assam AccNRC (National Register of Citizens), Assam Assembly electionord, granting ST status to six ethnic groups, failure in fixing tea labourers' wage and what not. But, how the ruling alliance could sail against the wind during the poll is no magic wand.

An impression was given before the election that all such burning issues would spell disaster for the BJP. The anti-CAA agitation did rock upper Assam where the agitation against the government on the ST status was called from time to time. This is because most of the six ethnic communities like Tai Ahom, Moran, Mottocks, Chutia and others live in Upper Assam.

Likewise, many people in the State aren't happy with the government's stand on the NRC. Tea garden labourers were seen agitating on the issue of their daily wages. The concentration of tea gardens is high in Upper Assam. However, the BJP and its ally AGP got the lion's share of their seats in Upper Assam in this Assembly election.

In the run-up to the Assembly poll, the State government did have some calculated shots that successfully cushion the blow that the ruling alliance was supposed to receive.

One of the calculated shots is the Arunudoi Scheme that ensured Rs 830 per month to the woman of a family. This succour was instrumental in making most of the women loyal to the BJP.

The Scotty for girl students is another factor that inclined a large number of families towards the BJP.

The promise for the waiver of Bandhan Bank loans made to thousands of women in the State did work in the poll. This is apart from many other beneficiary-centric schemes.

The improved road conditions, medical facilities in tea garden areas and the direct deposit of Rs 5,000 in two instalments in the bank accounts of as many as seven lakh tea garden labourers were enough for the ruling alliance to woo tea estate voters.

What's an open secret is religious polarization. The slogan of 'xabhyata aru xanskriti rakkhar juj (the struggle for the protection of the Assamese civilization and culture) did connect the voters at the right time. In such a campaign trail the Congress had to lose five Upper Assam seats because of its alliance with the AIUDF. The party got only four seats there – Nazira, Titabor, Mariani and Thowra.

The religious polarization has also made the BJP lose the Batadraba seat, a sure shot for the ruling party as the government developed roads and other infrastructures there. Apart from this, a Rs 280-crore project has been initiated there for the development of Borduwa Than, the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardev. The BJP MLA did a lot of developmental works there. However, the religious polarization led the voters to vote on community lines, leading to the Congress-AIUDF candidate Shivamoni Bora being the winner.

The cases in lower Assam and Barak Valley districts were no different. The ruling alliance had to suffer loss in many seats.

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