Gauhati Lok Sabha Seat To Witness High Profile Fight Over Burning Issues

GUWAHATI: The prestigious Gauhati Parliamentary seat is all set to witness a high-profile fight among two women candidates promising to resolve the myriad of burning issues afflicting the masses for several years. Polling for this seat will be held during the third phase slated for April 23. While the BJP has fielded former Gauhati Municipal Corporation mayor Queen Ojha, the Congress candidate is Bobbeeta Sarmah. Both are slated to file their nominations on Monday.

The last date for filing of nominations is April 4; scrutiny of the papers will be taken up on April 5; withdrawal of nominations will take place on April 8 and the counting will be held along with the rest of the country on May 23.

There are 10 Assembly segments within the Gauhati Parliamentary seat. These are Dudhnoi (ST), Boko (SC), Chhaygaon, Palasbari, Hajo, Jalukbari, Dispur, Gauhati East, Gauhati West, and Barkhetri. In the last 2016 Assembly polls, the BJP won eight of these seats. Only Boko and Chhaygaon remained with the Congress.

Altogether 18 candidates contested from the Gauhati constituency in the last 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Bijoya Chakravarty of the BJP won the seat by a margin of 3,15,784 votes against her Congress rival Manash Borah, who had polled 4,49,201 votes. On the other hand, Chakravarty had polled 7,64,985 votes during that time. AIUDF candidate Gopi Nath Das had polled 1,37,254 votes. Birendra Prasad Baishya of AGP polled 86,546 votes.

As per the summary revision of photo electoral rolls, 2019, there are 21,49,230 voters in this prestigious Parliamentary constituency. Of them, 10,87,122 are males, 10,62,030 are females and 78 are third gender.

The Gauhati Parliamentary seat is beset with several problems afflicting the day-to-day life. Residents of the premier city of the Northeast are facing acute scarcity of drinking water and also artificial floods. The potable water project meant for the city people has been lying idle for more than 10 years. This is despite the fact that there have been changes in governments during this period both at the Centre as well as in the State. Even the much hyped ‘Smart City’ project is yet to be properly implemented. The ‘Assam State Capital Region Authority’ has been constituted but the extension of the capital region has not taken place. Metro rail is yet to see the light of the day. The city is surrounded by hills. The residents of these surrounding hills face immense problems insofar as their basic amenities and transportation are concerned.

Though both the aspiring candidates have assured to resolve the myriad of problems afflicting the masses in the widespread Gauhati Parliamentary constituency, it remains to be seen as to how each of them would go about doing so. The voters’ decision would definitely give a shot in the arm to the candidate who comes out victorious finally.

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