BJP wins unopposed in 4 ZPC, 37 AP seats in Lakhipur, Patharkandi

A CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR: The BJP got a major boost even before the campaigning for the ensuing Panchayat election started to roll as in four Zila Parishad and 37 Anchalik Panchayat, the ruling party candidates ensured uncontested victory following the withdrawal of the opposition candidates. Significantly, all the seats, which the ruling party candidates were elected to unopposed, belonged to two Assembly segments which were represented by two ministers Kaushik Rai and Krishnendu Paul. In Rai’s Lakhipur constituency, two Congress incumbents Roselin Rosangpoe Hmar (Lakhinagar-Dilkhush ZPC) and Ranju Rani Paul (Borthal-Harinagar) withdrew their nominations amid much allegations of intimidation. In Lakhipur, the opposition candidates withdrew their nominations in 19 out of 31 AP seats. On the other hand, in Paul’s Patharkandi Assembly constituency, two Congress candidates Chandan Das (Lowairpua  ZPC) and Om Prakash Kanu retreated from the fray. Further in 12 AP seats, the BJP candidates were elected unopposed as their Congress counterparts had withdrawn nominations in the last hours.

Abhijit Paul, the Cachar district Congress President pointed fingers at the ruling party leaders accusing them of both intimidating and luring the opposition candidates. Paul, in a letter to the Deputy Commissioner as well as the district Returning Officer Mridul Yadav, requested security for the Congress candidates who, as he claimed, were being threatened by the ruling party to withdraw nominations.

It is to be noted that Dhubri district recorded 486 candidates in the fray, the highest in the state, while Cachar closely followed with 445 candidates contesting. Out of 494 total applications received in Cachar, 445 were accepted, 13 were rejected during scrutiny, and 36 candidates withdrew their nominations.

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