Babul Supriyo to join Kripanath Mallah in filing nomination as BJP candidate for Karimganj LS seat

Karimganj LS seat

Special Correspondent

Silchar: Babul Supriyo, Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, and a well-known personality of Bengal, will join the supporters and workers of Kripanath Mallah, the BJP candidate for Karimganj L S seat, in filing his nomination before the District Election Officer of the border district. Babul Supriyo is to add gusto to the poll campaign of Mallah and to whip up public support in his favour. After being favoured with nomination for Karimganj parliamentary seat, Karipanath Mallah has set tone for campaign by celebrating holi with party workers and supporters in tea gardens of the border district. The strategy is to be among the people of his own tea tribe who are in happy mood. It is for the first time that the saffron leadership has opted for a candidate of tea tribe for the Karimganj LS seat. It is well said prudence and wisdom are important in selecting a candidate. Kripanath Mallah is not a new face in Barak politics. Like any other weathercock politician, he switched over from Congress to BJP and contested the assembly election successfully in 2016 and subsequently was appointed Deputy Speaker to the Assam Legislative Assembly after Dilip Kumar Paul resigned.

Shipra Goon, former all India Mahila Morcha vice president, expressing her happiness over the nomination of Mallah said, “We leaders and workers will leave no stone unturned to ensure his victory.” In fact, the selection of Mallah has been done on the basis of the analysis of factors of the Karimganj parliamentary seat results since 1991, the year of resurgence of BJP in Barak Valley. The seat was won by BJP in 1991 and 1996. After that it was a dry spell. The nomination was given to a candidate of Bengali community. Since every seat in north east is crucial to win, for 2019 a tea tribe candidate has been put up.

Records show while Bengali Hindus of Karimganj are strong supporters of BJP, those of Hailakandi get divided between BJP and Congress. Tea belt voters (1.5 lakh), a major factor, feel neglected. With the marginalization of Gautom Roy, former Congress minister, and his son, Rahul Roy, ex MLA, in Hailakandi politics, considered great Hindu votes puller, the field is now wide open to woo Hindu voters. The preference for Kripanath Mallah is therefore considered wise and far reaching. Hindus this time will vote for BJP which has all along vociferously supported Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. The role of Congress is well known and this has put Congress on back foot in the valley. Consolidation of Hindu votes and mobilization of tea belt votes will go largely in favour of Kripanath Mallah.

The focus of the central and state leadership is on northeast where the target is to win 22 seats in order to make up the losses that BJP is likely to suffer in terms of seats due to SP-BSP alliance and their tacit understanding with Congress. Biswaroop Bhattacharjee, frontline leader of Karimganj BJP, said, “We are confident of regaining Karimganj seat.”

Dr Rajdeep Roy of BJP, Sushmita Dev of Congress and Nazia Yasmin Mazumder of NCP contesting from Silchar LS seat, will also file their nominations on the day.

Also read: Cachar news