Kaliabor Lok Sabha Seat: A Prestige Battle For AGP-BJP & Congress

GUWAHATI: “Prestige poll”— these two words aptly describe the election battle in Kaliabor Lok Sabha constituency spanning over 10 Assembly segments in Nagaon and Golaghat districts.

The election in Kaliabor constituency slated to be held on April 11 has become a major prestige issue to such an extent that both the ruling BJP-AGP combine and the Opposition Congress are preparing to make it a ‘do-or-die’ battle. While the ruling parties are leaving no stone unturned to end an era of what it calls ‘Gogois’ in the constituency, the Congress is going all out to convince voters that casting votes in favour of the candidate fielded by the BJP-AGP alliance will destroy the culture and language of the indigenous people of Assam as the BJP supports the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB). To hit the opposition party hard, the ruling BJP-AGP are also trading charges that the Congress has an unholy alliance with the AIUDF to ensure victory of Gaurav Gogoi, son of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi from Kaliabor. Unlike the previous years, the AIUDF has not fielded its candidate in Kaliabor this year.

The intensity of the prestige issue can be gauged from the fact that all high-profile leaders of both the BJP and the Congress are campaigning in Kaliabor to ensure the victory of their respective candidates. BJP national president Amit Shah started his campaign in Assam by addressing a massive rally in Kaliabor on March 28. Congress president Rahul Gandhi too addressed a well-attended rally at Bokakhat under Kaliabor constituency on April 3. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and NEDA convener Himanta Biswa Sarma have been intensely campaigning in Kaliabor. The first joint meeting of the BJP-AGP combine to inspire the grassroots workers of both the allied partners was also held at Kaliabor recently.

The Kaliabor seat has been traditionally represented by the Congress with former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi becoming an MP from the constituency in the early nineties; followed by his brother Dip Gogoi and now his son Gaurav Gogoi. That is why the BJP is harping on the mantra of ending the “Gogois” era in the constituency by defeating present MP Gaurav Gogoi.

Moni Madhab Mahanta, the AGP candidate told The Sentinel that he is seeking votes from the people of Kaliabor to remain with them at the time of their crises, sufferings, pains and pleasure. “The present Congress MP has become invisible for the people of Kaliabor. He is never seen with the people of Kaliabor at the time of crisis. So, the people of Kaliabor now want an MP who could be with them sharing their pain and pleasure,” Mahanta said.

Mahanta, former vice-president of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) who recently joined the AGP, said he seeks the people’s mandate to become an associate with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to build a beautiful and strong Assam.

“I will accord top priority to employment generation, solutions to the twin problems of flood and erosion, providing safety to the people living along the Assam-Nagaland border and other burning issues,” Mahanta, the younger brother of Assam minister and AGP leader Keshab Mahanta, said.

On other hand, Gaurav Gogoi exuding confidence of getting elected from Kaliabor for the second consecutive term, told The Sentinel that the AGP has made an alliance with those supporting the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill to win the election. “So casting votes in favour of the AGP candidate will imply supporting the controversial Bill. The people of Kaliabor will not vote for those supporting the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill as it will destroy their culture, language and ethos,” Gogoi said, adding that he will convince the Centre to announce a special package for the rehabilitation of flood and erosion victims and also set up quality educational and vocational institutes in Kaliabor.

Like the Tezpur constituency, it has been seen that the tea community has a leaning towards the BJP. Manju Ghatowal, a tea worker at Hatikhuli tea estate, said the pace of development among her community was much faster during the BJP’s regime. “The present government has built houses and latrines for us. We are getting free rice. Our wages are now credited in our bank accounts. Pregnant women are also getting help,” Ghatowal said.

There are 10 Assembly segments under Kaliabor LS constituency. While Dhing, Batadroba, Rupahihaat, Samaguri and Kaliabor Assembly segments fall in Nagaon district, the other five Assembly segments – Bokakhat, Khumtai, Dergaon, Golaghat and Sarupathar –are in Golaghat district. Out of the 10 Assembly segments, the Congress has four constituencies with it, three with the AGP, two with the BJP and one with the AIUDF.

In the last 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Congress candidate Gaurav Gogoi defeated his rival BJP candidate Mrinal Saikia by a margin of 93,874 votes. While Gogoi secured 4,43,315 votes, Saikia got 3,49,441 votes. AIUDF candidate Bijoy Kumar Tiru secured 2,31,295 votes. AGP candidate Arun Kumar Sarma secured 78,312 votes. There was no AGP-BJP alliance in the 2014 elections.

In the ensuing elections, altogether 17,31,610 voters of Kaliabor Parliamentary seat will decide the fates of Gaurav Gogoi, Moni Madhab Mahanta, Diganta Kumar Saika (Hindustan Nirman Dal), former MLA Abdul Aziz (NPP), Harikul Islam Bhuyan (Asom Jana Marcha), former MLA Jiten Gogoi (Independent) and Bhaskar Sarma (Independent).

If the over 17-lakh Kaliabor voters will exercise their franchise on April 11 for a change or not is something to be seen. Till May 23, all will have to keep their fingers crossed.

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