A CORRESPONDENT
ORANG: With Assam’s Assembly election drawing closer, grassroots workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 47 Mazbat Legislative Assembly Constituency are mounting a vocal campaign to persuade the party leadership to field its own candidate this time, rather than yielding the seat under any seat sharing arrangement with alliance partner Bodoland People’s Front (BPF).
Local BJP activists argue that the party’s organizational strength in Mazbat has grown significantly, and contesting independently would energize the cadre and boost electoral prospects in the Udalguri district segment. They point to past experiences where the BJP refrained from nominating a candidate particularly during the previous Assembly polls when the current BPF MLA Charan Boro, who represents Mazbat, had focused his efforts on the adjacent Rowta parliamentary area. This, they claim, left workers feeling sidelined and demotivated.
Tensions have escalated following remarks reportedly made by MLA and State Minister Charan Boro during a recent public gathering in Rowta, where he suggested the BJP would not field a nominee in Mazbat once again. Party workers fear such signals could further erode morale at the booth level and weaken the BJP’s ground game ahead of the polls.
“Repeatedly stepping aside has hurt our workers’ enthusiasm,” said a senior local BJP functionary on condition of anonymity. “Our base here is solid with strong booth committees, active mandals, and widespread support among diverse communities. If the high command gives us a ticket, we can fight aggressively and deliver a win that strengthens the NDA overall.”
In a direct appeal, workers have urged MP and state BJP President Dilip Saikia, along with Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, to intervene decisively in Favor of contesting Mazbat. The demand gained momentum during a series of meetings and discussions held on February 22, where the sentiment was unanimous. The constituency has seen a surge in ticket aspirations, with as many as 20 prominent local leaders and activists positioning themselves as potential BJP nominees. Among the notable names circulating are youth leader Kishor Sharma, former Mandal Committee Leader (MCL) Jitu Kissan who polled strongly as the BJP candidate in 2021, Deepak Mour, Jivan Deka, Ladho Lohar, Kasmati Gour, Charju Saura, Jayanta Das, Shantiyas Kuzur, former Executive Member Sanjit Tati, and several others. This list reflects a mix of experienced organizers and emerging faces eager to carry the saffron flag.
Political observers note that Mazbat remains a key battleground in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) dynamics. While the BJP-led NDA including BPF as a partner has consolidated power at the state level, local equations often diverge due to regional loyalties and historical seat adjustments. Recent developments, including BPF’s formal integration into the state cabinet and ongoing alliance fine tuning, have only heightened speculation about final seat allocations.
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