RSS, sister concerns throw their weight behind BJP

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, August 19: The RSS has thrown its full weight behind the BJP in Assam to make the party win in the 2016 Assembly elections in the State. The Sangh has also asked its sister concerns like the Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), State Kalyan Ashram, Sanskar Bharati, Vidya Bharati and Itihas Sanmilan Samittee to work for the BJP.

Such a stricture from the RSS came in the backdrop of its assessment at its recently-concluded three-day meeting in Guwahati. While the first two days of the meeting had interactions only among the RSS members, interactions on the third day were with its sister concerns, including the BJP. The three-day deliberations let the RSS know that the BJP has only 30 seats so far where it can surely win. In rest of the LACs in the State, the uncertainty factor looms large. Worried of the assessment, the RSS had to issue such this stricture asking its sister concerns in the State to work for the BJP.

Sources in the BJP also said that the number of A category LACs where the party is certain of win is 30. Its A category seats, according to BJP sources, are Dibrugarh, Duliajan, Nogaon, Digboi, Sadiya, Sivasagar, Sori, Jorhat, Teok, Rangapara, Behali, Lakhimpur, gaon, Biswath Chariali, East Guwahati, West Guwahati, Kamalpur, Borkhetri, Sorbhog, Hajo, Silchar, Dhalai, Borkhola, Lumding, Karimganj North,  Hojai, Tezpur and Palasbari.

The party is not going to give tickets for the 2016 Assembly elections based on money or muscle power. The criteria for party tickets, according to sources, are sincere work for the party in their respective constituencies and winning prospects of candidates. Currently a survey on the winning prospects of the probable party candidates is underway.

According to party sources, in Guwahati while State BJP president Siddhartha Bhattacahryya is sure to get ticket from Guwahati East LAC, there has been tough contest for party ticket in West Guwahati LAC where Mrigangko Barman, Bijay Gupta and Pradip Thakuria are seemed to be equally poised. Dispur is not included in the A category LACs by the party, yet party sources feel that if a candidate with promising winning prospects is fielded the seat can be wrested from the Congress. The front runners for party ticket of the seat are Atul Bora, Meera Barthakur and Jayanta Kumar Das.  

In Hajo, another A category LAC for the party, the BJP wants to field a young candidate, Kishore Kumar Das, who can erode AGP and TMC votes. The seat is currently held by the TMC. A senior BJP candidate, Ramani Malakar, is trying for the ticket. It worth mentioning here that tiol BJP in-charge for Assam Dr. Mahendra Singh is in Hajo today to take stock of the LAC. He held a meeting there. He is going to take stock of all the 126 LACs in the State.

In Borkhetri, another A category LAC of the party currently held by veteran Congress leader Dr. Bhumidhar Barman, the front runners for BJP tickets are yan Talukdar and rayan Deka.

Former All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) leaders Tapan Kumar Gogoi and Sankar Prasad Rai are supposed to join the BJP this month. The party seems to be in problem with Rai, who has already set a precondition that he will join the BJP only if the party offers him poll ticket in Bongaigaon. This precondition, according to party sources, has irked the party workers in Bongaigaon who want that senior party leader Sankar Rai should be fielded from Bongaigaon. According to party sources, BJP workers of 16 gaon panchayats and 25 town committees are against the former AASU leader getting party ticket from Bongaigaon.