In Assam’s Muslim-majority Samaguri seat, CM Himanta sees a larger message in BJP win

Before Rakibul’s agelong tenure arsenic MLA there, his begetter Nurul Hussain – besides a Congress person – had represented the spot for 2 presumption successful the 1980s and 1990s. This time, the Congress had fielded Rakibul’s son, Tanzil, from determination and Rakibul had himself led the campaign.

Speaking to enactment members astatine the BJP authorities office connected Sunday evening, Sarma said Samaguri was a “difficult” constituency for the enactment and that helium had initially not considered it a winnable one. However, helium said that the party’s triumph from different Muslim-majority constituency – Karimganj – successful the Lok Sabha elections had opened up its way among number voters.

Saying that Karimganj had been considered an “impossible constituency”, helium said, “Earlier, it would beryllium said that the BJP won due to the fact that of ballot splitting betwixt Congress and AIUDF. But successful Karimganj, we won erstwhile AIUDF was not capable to triumph immoderate votes. We won with each religion’s votes… The triumph successful Samaguri is an hold of our triumph successful Karimganj… 65-75% of voters are from the spiritual minority, and the winning campaigner is simply a idiosyncratic from the bulk community.”

He said the BJP won votes from Muslim voters with a argumentation of “appeasement to none, justness for all”.

“Our quality with Congress is that they question to appease 1 peculiar conception by constituting things similar the Sachar committee. They question to appease 1 peculiar section… In the mediate of this (BJP’s triumph successful Samaguri), the Congress whitethorn accidental that the BJP is seeking number votes… But the BJP has besides done evictions successful Kachutuli… In the mediate of this, Assam’s 25,000 number girls person besides go beneficiaries of the Nijut Moina scheme. This argumentation is besides dilatory being accepted by Assam’s number radical and we are each definite that this is however Assam’s authorities volition determination forward,” helium said.

Kachutuli, a Bengali-Muslim village, had seen an eviction thrust successful September that had turned convulsive and resulted successful the decease of 2 residents.

In the bypolls to 5 seats successful Assam, the BJP had contested successful 3 and won each of them – Diplu Ranjan Sarmah successful Samaguri, Diganta Ghatowal successful Behali, and Nihar Ranjan Das successful Dholai. Its allies won the 2 different seats – Diptimayee Choudhury of the Asom Gana Parishad won successful Bongaigaon spot and Nirmal Kumar Brahma from the United People’s Party Liberal won Sidli.