Straight contest: An experienced versus a novice

LS poll: Dibrugarh Parliamentary Constituency

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The first phase of the Lok Sabha poll in Assam slated for April 19 seems to witness a straight fight between a leader with high legislative and parliamentary experience and a political novice youth leader in the prestigious Dibrugarh Parliamentary Constituency.

The two are former Assam Chief Minister and current Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on a BJP ticket, and former AASU (All Assam Students' Union) general secretary and AJP (Assam Jatiya Parishad) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi. The constituency also has another candidate in the poll fray on an AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) ticket, Manoj Dhanowar, son of former Congress MLA Rameswar Dhanowar.

Realigned in the recent delimitation exercise in Assam, Dibrugarh parliamentary constituency has ten Assembly segments: Margherita, Digboi, Makum, Tinsukia, Chabua-Lahowal, Dibrugarh, Khowang, Duliajan, Tingkhong, and Naharkatia. The parliamentary constituency has a total of 16,59,588 electors, with 8,09,990 males, 8,49,563 females, and 35 third genders. Female voters have outnumbered their male counterparts in this constituency. Among the ten Assembly segments in this parliamentary constituency, Dibrugarh has the highest number of 1,90,833 electors, and Digboi has the lowest number of 1,43,729 electors.

The total number of polling stations in Dibrugarh Parliamentary Constituency is 1,923 after the delimitation of constituencies. Insofar as Assembly segments are concerned, Dibrugarh has the highest number of 220 polling stations, and Digboi has the lowest number of 160 polling stations in this Lok Sabha constituency.

Rameswar Teli of the BJP made it to Parliament from this parliamentary seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha poll by defeating veteran Congress contender Paban Singh Ghatowar by a margin of 3,64,566 votes. While Teli polled 6,59,583 votes, Ghatowar got 2,95,017 votes. The total number of contenders from this parliamentary constituency in 2019 was eight. This time, the BJP fielded Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal from this constituency, denying a ticket to Teli. At present, Sonowal is a member of the Rajya Sabha.

Meanwhile, the Congress opted not to field its candidate in the Dibrugarh parliamentary constituency. It, along with other opposition parties, threw its full weight behind AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi. However, the AAP, which was a constituent of the Congress-led opposition alliance, fielded its candidate in the constituency. With only seven days to go until the election, the campaign has reached its crescendo in the constituency.

In his campaign, Sarbananda Sonowal is highlighting the whole lot of development taking place in the state, including tea garden areas, during the BJP regime in the state and at the Centre. He is also highlighting the guarantee from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the voters. He is also focusing on facts like the Congress doing precious little in the state's tea garden areas that have witnessed development on various fronts since the BJP came at the helm of affairs.

Lurinjyoti Gogoi, on the other hand, took up the issue of the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), religious polarisation in the state, appeasing voters with their inclusion in beneficiary lists, etc. He is also making the point that the mostly benefiting ones during the BJP role are capitalists at the expense of the poor, who have to stagger under the burden of price rises.

Riding on his late father's popularity as an influential leader from the tea tribe, AAP candidate Manoj Dhanowar is seeking votes by campaigning against the BJP.

A team from The Sentinel visited a few areas of the Dibrugarh Parliamentary and interacted with some sections of voters.

Speaking to The Sentinel team, a youth from Bokel Tea Estate in the Lahowal area of the Dibrugarh district, Ajay Gowala, said, "We have seen the roads in tea gardens more developed in our areas than before. We have also noticed that people in tea garden areas have become more aware now. Earlier, most tea garden populations had no information regarding the outside world."

A first-time voter, Parishmita Urang of Chandoi Pathar village, said, "I will cast my vote for the first time. I am thrilled to get the voting right. I want the government to be formed at the centre to ensure that youth get jobs based on merit. The government should also check the rise in prices."

When asked about the early marriage of tea garden girls and education, Parishmita Urang, a degree student at DHSK College, Dibrugarh, belonging to the Tea Tribe, said, "Early marriage is on the wane now. I did hear of early marriage in the community earlier. Though higher education is still picking up momentum, most parents send their children to school nowadays."

Talking to The Sentinel team, a few tea estate workers, namely Ranjita Urang, Ashamoni Urang, Sunia Munda, and others from Bokel Tea Estate, said that they would cast their votes on April 19.

Anupam Gogoi, a vendor selling tamul-paan (betel nut) at Jagun Bazar along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border in the Tinsukia district, said, "I do help my father in tamul-paan vending. I will cast my vote this time, seeking the development of the state and the country. I notice that people have to struggle hard due to the price rise. The government needs to see that."

Swarasati Rabha, a first-time voter of Sonali Janajati Rabha Gaon in the Margherita LAC segment, said, "The installation of water taps under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) is complete in our village. However, water supply has yet to start. The villagers have to suffer for water. I want the new government to take such issues into account."

Eitoi Sema, the gaon burha of Tokou Pathar (Sema Village) in the Margherita LAC segment, said, "Tube wells cannot be installed in our village due to the rocky soil. We need to depend on wells for water. However, water remains scarce during the dry season. This leads us to the Tirap River, one and a-half kilometres from here. The government should install JJM in this village."

Another first-time girl voter, Sobha Darjee of Ledo College, said, "Our village also has water taps installed under the JJM without water supply. We want water supply in our village."

Tovika Sema of Ledo College said, "The condition of NH-315 is not good at some stretches between Ledo and Margherita. Commuters have to bear the brunt. The government that will come after June 4 should take care of national highways."

On June 4, the voters will see who will laugh the last in the Dibrugarh Parliamentary Constituency.

 Also Read: Assam: PM Narendra Modi to address rally at Nalbari on April 17 (sentinelassam.com)

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