Congress, BJP, AIUDF lock horns in Barak Valley

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR, April 3: With campaigns over, everything today has fallen silent. There are no more loud-speakers giving out the speeches or the recorded ones of candidates to woo the voters with their promises and the way out to find solutions to their problems and issues. The focus is now on the candidates, contesting from their respective constituencies. Of interest to watch will be the key contests between Dilip Kumar Paul of BJP and Bithika Dev of Congress which from all probability which is going to be a direct contest. Another hot seat is of Udharbond from where Ajit Singh, minister, is locked in battle with BJP and AIUDF making the fight triangular.

 Dholai (SC) seat is also in the reckoning where Girindra Mullick, minister, is pitted against the formidable BJP candidate Parimal Shuklabaidya. With the presence of AIUDF, the battle here will be triangular. So is the constituency of South Karimganj where another minister Siddique Ahmed of Congress is sweating out against Shipra Goon, a tough contestant of BJP. AIUDF is also a strong contender on the seat. Gautom Roy regarded as an invincible candidate of Congress in Barak Valley and also a record holder in victory since 1985 from Katlicherra has to face the toughest challenge of his political career from BJP and AIUDF. The stake this time for him will be high. His defeat which seems unlikely will draw a curtain on his eventful political career.

 What has made the poll battle most enlivening and interesting is the involvement of star campaigners of the major political parties who have gone all hog to galvanize the party workers as well as leaders to win the confidence of voters. Significantly, the campaigns excepting some discordant notes have been free from persol attack, rancour and any kind of vicious diatribe. In the fil alysis, not only voters but also people in general are expecting absolute turnout to make the 2016 assembly elections remarkable.