Who will dominate Panchayat raj in Barak Valley?

Special Correspondent

Silchar: It is not until late next morning that the results of panchayat polls may become clear to indicate definitely which party will rule the roost in the panchayat raj. This will also finally decide the fate of all the 5919 candidates contesting for zila parishad, gaon panchayat president, anchalik panchayat and group members. As announced earlier by the district administration of Cachar, 105 candidates have staked their claims for ZPC, 592 for GP president, 565 for AP and 4657 for group members. The counting which started 8 in the morning this day is progressing fast in all the 14 halls of ISBT and ISTT premises at Ramnagar.

The counting will be a 24x7 process in which 700 poll personnel are engaged. The counting for ZPC has been taken up first to be followed by that of GP presidents, AP members and finally the group members. Deputy Commissioner of Cachar S Lakshmanan, IAS, Superintendent of Police Rakesh Roushan, IPS, and other officials are monitoring the proceedings with elaborate security arrangements around both the premises. A large number of curious members and supporters of the political parties in the fray have massed up before the two counting centres and are watching the process of counting eagerly, knowing fully well that not the final results but the trends can only be trickled out.

It is yet to predict in whose favour the pendulum will swing. But, political leaders who are watching the counting along with their agents are hopeful of hitting the jackpot. Dilip Kumar Paul, MLA, former Deputy Speaker of Assam Assembly, expressed the hope that BJP will dominate the panchayat system. Aminul Haque Laskar, the lone Muslim MLA of the party, is also hopeful of doing well to rule the panchayat raj. From all indications, the information being picked up from the counting halls is no doubt a signal that at the initial stage, it is advantage BJP.

Congress leader Partha Ranjan Chakraborty and AIUDF frontline leader Saminul Haque Barbhuiya, on the other hand, are optimistic of better results by their candidates in all the four fields. The results of counting declared by the district administration of Cachar till 5.30 this evening give some indication of the shape of things to come. Of the 5 AP member seats, BJP and Congress have bagged 2 seats each while Independent nets 1 seat. Of the 5 GP president seats, BJP has won 3, Congress 1 and Independent 1. Of the 60 group member seats walled up, 19 have gone in favour of BJP, 25 for Congress and 15 for Independents.

AIUDF and AGP till the time have drawn blank. Of course, it is yet a long way to go to say firmly which party will be at the helm of affairs in the panchayat raj of Cachar. In the last Panchayat polls, it was Congress which dominated the scene followed by AIUDF and then BJP. According to information from the two other districts of Hailakandi and Karimganj, the three main contenders, BJP, Congress and AIUDF have been in a neck-to-neck fight for being on the top of the table. It is not out of place to mention though BJP formed the government at Dispur in 2016 with its allies AGP and BPF, it was on the fourth position when the results of panchayat polls of 2013 came out. This time BJP hopes to do well and increase its tally as the major ruling party of the state.

Hailakandi Correspondent adds: BJP is leading in four, AIUDF in four and AGP in one ZPCs. Of the 13 AP seats declared, BJP won in seven, AIUDF in two, INC in one and three independents. Of the 13 GPP results declared, BJP emerged victorious in six, AIUDF in two, INC in one and four independents.

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