Saffron party still keen to strike a deal with a signboard party in North Bengal ::: Dissidence surface in Trinamool and BJP as well over ticket distribution in the region

Dissidence surface in both Trinamool and BJP as well over ticket distribution in North Bengal. 

The northern part of  West Bengal always complains about alleged step motherly treatment and hence creation of a new administrative setup is a prominent demand. 

But for 'mainstream Bengal'; division of the state -- the so-called Banga Bhanga - is an emotional issue hence both the BJP and Trinamool leaders would be shy of declaring anything directly and openly. 

Historic Coochbehar Palace - Now a Govt Museum 

“I am a victim of a deep political conspiracy,” said Rabindranath Ghosh, a senior TMC leader in Coochbehar.

"There’s nothing much to say… one doesn’t have to remain in politics forever," he remarked within hours Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee announced candidate list. 

Ghosh had won from the Natabari seat twice and served as a Bengal minister. In 2019, he was removed from the district president’s post and in 2021 he had the seat.  

This time the TMC ticket has been given to Sailen Barman. 

Interestingly, the BJP has not decided its candidate yet and there is a catch. 

Reportedly, the saffron party is in discussion with a small political outfit - Greater Cooch Behar Peoples’ Party (Bangshibadan Barman faction). 

Natabari is one of the seats in discussions and so are Sitai and Coochbehar South. 

Sitai is a reserved seat and the RSS had pushed the candidature of a senior Sangh man. But apparently, things are not working at the pace it was expected and hence even in the second list if candidates -- Sitai (SC) constituency name was skipped. 

Blogger in Sitai region 

There are certain complex local issues which are apparently in discussions. One of them is inclusion of Rajbongshi language in the 8th Schedule.  BJP state unit president Samik Bhattacharya has flagged off the matter even in his capacity as the Rajya Sabha member. 

But the controversy is BJP top leaders including Union Minister Bhupender Yadav is in discussion with a small entity and the party in debate may not be quite influential locally.

Nevertheless, the BJP central leaders are also bargaining hard. They may accommodate the candidates (two or three) from the Greater Coochbehar Party (Bangshibadhan faction) but reportedly want them to contest on BJP ticket. 

There is yet another tricky facet. 

Any chance or hint being given that the BJP may give into the demand for a separate administrative unit could be 'exploited' by Trinamool and give it anti-Bengal agenda of the Lotus party.  

Things may not end with such simple issues. 

The Local-loyalty dimensions are also at play.  

  

Trinamool candidate from Sitalkuchi for this year's polls Harihar Das is actually a former school teacher and an ex-BJP leader.  Mamata Banerjee had wooed him to her flock last year by making him chairperson of the advisory committee that runs the Rajbanshi Bhasha Academy.  These have complicated matters on ground.  

Harihar is a loyalist of BJP's Rajya Sabha MP, Nagendra Ray, also commonly known as Anant Maharaj.

Anant Maharaj as a gamble did not yield any great success for the BJP. Anant is also a leader of the Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party.  

"We would like to see how Anant Maharaj campaigns during the coming elections ... either for TMC or the BJP," says a local resident.

The BJP nominee from Sitalkuchi will be Savitri Barman.  

The ticket distribution and selection of right candidates in right segments has become the real flashpoint. 

"The announcements of candidates by BJP and TMC in various segments are reshaping the political landscape and making and unmaking the dynamics," says Dilip Das, a school teacher in Sitai. 

"If BJP has blundered, they may lose three-four seats out of six in Coochbehar. Moreover, their candidates for seats such as Dinhata are not good. Why BJP is fielding Former Minister Nisith Pramanik from Mathabhanga is also a mystery," he added. 

Problems are for TMC as well. 

In Alipurduar, former MLA Sourav Chakraborty put up posts on social media sarcastically aimed at jurnalist Suman Kanjilal. The posts alleged there had been much development in Alipurduar and polls would be carried out under the leadership of a person who had taken tenders for jobs worth around Rs 200 crore.

His grievance is understandable because Trinamool has fielded scribe Kanjilal from the seat. In 2021, the same Kanjilal had contested from the BJP and defeated Chakraborty but had defected to Trinamool. 

In yet another segment Khageswar Roy, a four-time Trinamool MLA from Rajganj, criticised the decision of dropping him and resigned from the district chairman’s post.

ends 

Suvendu Kicksoff campaign in Bhawanipore ::: BJP's second list of 111 candidates for West Bengal ::: Roopa Ganguly fielded from Sonarpur Dakshin

The BJP named Priyanka Tiberewal as its candidate from Entally seat and Sumana Sarkar from Balagarh seat.  

Among the key names, former IPS officer Rajesh Kumar has been fielded from Jagatdal.

Koustav Bagchi will contest from Barrackpore. 

Former Trinamool Congress leader Tapas Roy will contest from Maniktala.

Actress Papiya Adhikari has been given a ticket from Tollygunj

Dibendu Adhikari, brother of senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, has been fielded from Egra.

Former Minister Nisith Pramanik will contest from Mathabhanga, while Shankar Adhikari has been named from Chopra. Arup Choudhury will contest from Kamarhati.

 Roopa Ganguly has been fielded from Sonarpur Dakshin

Rekha Patra, who came into prominence during the Sandeshkhali episode, has been fielded from Hingalganj.

Sabita Barman will contest from Itahar, 

Dilip Saha from Nabagram

Mitali Mal from Khargram and 

Gargi Das Ghosh from Kandi.

The BJP nominees include --  

Farakka - Sunil Chowdhury

Samserganj Shri Shashthi Charan Ghosh

Jangipur Adv. Chitto Mukherjee

- Sagardighi Shri Tapas Chakraborty

Raninagar Rana Pratap Singh Roy

Nabagram (SC) Shri Dilip Saha

Khargram (SC) Smt. Mitali Mal

Burwan (SC) Shri Sukhen Kumar Bagdi

Kandi Smt. Gargi Das Ghosh

Bharatpur Smt. Anamika Ghosh

Tehatta Shri Subrata Kabiraj

Anamika Ghosh will enter the fray from Bharatpur, 

Swapan Majumder from Bongaon Dakshin, 

Arup Choudhary from Kamarhatim, 

Sanat Sardar from Sandeshkhali and Mallika Paik from Mandirbazar Assembly constituency.

Elections in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and 29.

Earlier in the first list, the BJP named 144 candidates across several regions, including north Bengal, parts of south Bengal and the western districts.

Former MP Arjun Singh will contest from Noapara, while Ritesh Tiwari has been named from Kashipur-Belgachia. 

BJP spokesperson Dr Shatarupa will contest from Ballygunge.

The second list underscores the BJP’s strategy of combining established leaders, defectors from rival parties, and recognisable public faces as it gears up for the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly elections. 

Rekha Patra to fight from Hingalganj (SC)

***

Meanwhile, Suvendu Adhikari, who will take on Mamata Banerjee, kicked off his campaign in Bhawanipore on Thursday. He was greeted with drum beats and pro-BJP slogan by karyakartas. 

The recent actions from the Election Commission tightening its grip on the administration and apparently dismantling Mamata's hold has given new enthusiasm to BJP workers.  

"There would be free movement... police should not work at the instance of Trinamool leaders. I will move around and campaign freely. I will say what I have to say. Let Mamata Banerjee do her campaign. And then people's decision will be final," Suvendu Adhikar said exuding an unusual confidence. 

A rattled and grieving Trinamool leadership has dashed off a protest letter to the EC.

"While the State is heading towards elections, the elected government continues to function and cannot be undermined or rendered ineffective by any authority. Actions of this nature risk creating an atmosphere akin to an emergency or indirect central rule, which is deeply concerning and unfortunate. 

They undermine the spirit of cooperative federalism," Mamata Banerjee wrote sounding rather helpless.  

ends 

"Pakistan has a history of clandestine nuclear nonproliferation," -- says India ::::: "New Delhi has been supplying diesel to Bangladesh since 2007"

On US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard's statement on Pakistan, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "As far as Pakistan is concerned, they have a history. "

"They have a history of clandestine nuclear nonproliferation, and statements like this again make it clear what kind of threat they pose to the world because of their clandestine nuclear operations."

On the recent energy attacks, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "We have put out a statement on the attacks that have happened. Right from the very beginning, we have said that avoidance of targeting, we should, we have called for avoiding targeting of civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, across the region. 

And as we have said in our statement, recent attacks against energy installations in different locations across this region are therefore deeply disturbing and only serve to further destabilize an already uncertain energy scenario for the whole world. Such attacks are unacceptable and need to cease..."

Jaiswal also said: "Over the last several days or so, we've seen strikes from Pakistan into Afghanistan. 

We have condemned these strikes because they have targeted civilian infrastructure and they have caused a lot of misery to people. We once again unequally condemned these barbaric airstrikes from Pakistan into Afghanistan...".

He also says :

 "About energy, we have received requests from several of our neighbouring countries. We have received requests from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and some other neighbouring countries. 

As I had indicated earlier, India has been supplying diesel to Bangladesh since 2007 through various modes of transportation. We are continuing to assist Bangladesh and our other neighbours even currently.   

"On the issue of gas, are we purchasing LPG from Russia? We are trying to procure LPG from all available sources wherever possible. If it is available from Russia, we will consider that option as well...The situation is such that we must ensure that the fuel needs of our people are fully met. At the same time, I can say that we are working to keep multiple options open for sourcing supplies."

ends 

This is being done, factoring in our own requirement, our refining capacity, and our diesel availability...". 

Sidelining of loyal Karyakartas for new entrants especially from Congress triggers RESIGNATION saga in Assam BJP

 Assam polls: BJP list sets off resignations, rebellion over ticket snubs Ticket denial triggers resignations in BJP ranks as leaders accusing party of sidelining loyal workers for new entrants.  

As candidate announcements reshape the political landscape, the exits from BJP underline churn within parties ahead of the high-stakes Assembly elections, with ticket distribution once again emerging as a key flashpoint.

The first fallout came from Dholai, where sitting MLA Nihar Ranjan Das resigned from the party’s primary membership within hours of the list’s release. 

In his resignation letter addressed to the BJP’s Assam Pradesh leadership in Guwahati, Das described his tenure as one marked by “honest and sincere” service, stating that he had worked to strengthen the party’s base in the constituency. 

“As such, I am tendering my resignation from the primary membership of BJP,” he wrote, requesting to be relieved of all organisational responsibilities. 

The discontent is spreading. 

BJP leader Jayanta Kumar Das, who had been eyeing a ticket from Dispur, also indicated his intention to quit after the seat was allotted to former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi. 

Himanta - "After all a former Congressman" 

In a direct challenge to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, he said, “If senior leaders are being replaced, why not vacate Jalukbari for new entrants?” 

He further alleged the existence of a “political syndicate”, claiming that decisions were being driven by vested interests rather than organisational principles. 

The veteran leader also announced plans to launch a new political outfit, bringing together what he described as “deprived and denied candidates” from Sadiya to Dhubri. He said consultations would begin immediately and that he would file his nomination on March 23

“I may resign from the party, but BJP will always remain in my heart,” he said, 

In a separate development, the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), a former NDA ally of the BJP, also faced a setback, with Barama MLA Bhupen Boro resigning from the party’s primary membership. 

“This decision has been taken after careful consideration, as I am unable to continue discharging my responsibilities effectively,” his letter stated. Boro has submitted his resignation to the party president, and there is speculation that he may join the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) in the coming days. 

Reports from unhappiness in BJP circles has come from Udharbond. A former Bajrang Dal leader and a ticket aspirant may file nomination as Independent. 

The Lotus party has fielded Rajdeep Goala — a Bhojpuri leader who, by most accounts, does not belong to the segment — overriding objections from at least ten to twelve local ticket aspirants who had formally requested the high command not to accommodate him. 

Goala is a known Himanta loyalist. 

The BJP's official version is that the list of Assam candidates reflects a carefully calibrated strategy, prioritising stability, experience and local dynamics. As the campaign gathers pace, the effectiveness of this approach will be closely watched.

 

ends 

It's like surgical strike and keeps raining ::: EC actions in West Bengal rattle Trinamool Congress ::: "Nothing short of an undeclared emergency" - says Mamata

EC seeks details of retired officers, recent transfers to ensure fair Bengal polls

Kolkata Municipal Corporation got its first woman commissioner on Wednesday when the poll body headed by CEC Gyanesh Kumar appointed Smita Pandey to the prized post.

Smita Pandey : snap - The Telegraph  

For South Kolkata, the poll panel has appointed Randhir Kumar as the district electoral officer to oversee the poll process.

The key constituency of Bhawanipore from where chief minister Mamata Banerjee will contest against the leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari will be monitored by Kumar.

Shilpa Gourisaria will be the new DM of North 24-Parganas and Abhishek Kumar Tiwary of South 24-Parganas. Another woman IAS officer Sweta Agarwal will be the DM of East Burdwan.

The EC has been worried to learn that several former chief secretaries have been reappointed in various positions, including adviser to the chief minister.

TMC always deployed officers of its choice in important positions during the elections. Several officials played a partisan role to help the ruling party.

This is the reason why the poll panel wants to check each of the appointments and postings.

“What we are witnessing is nothing short of an undeclared emergency and an unpromulgated form of President’s rule driven by political vendetta, not democratic principles,” Mamata Banerjee wrote on X. 

The EC has already started transferring some newly posted officers. On Wednesday, the EC transferred the Darjeeling and Alipurduar DMs who were posted after February 28.

It has to be checked whether any of these former chief secretaries has been keeping in contact with district officials and giving them instructions to stop following the EC directives. 

The EC has now asked the new chief secretary to submit a list of officers who were transferred after February 28.

Sources said the aim was to prevent Nabanna from meddling in the poll process at any cost in the interest of free and fair polls

The Election Commission has asked new Bengal chief secretary Dushyant Nariala to submit a list of state government officers and employees reemployed after their retirement in an apparent move to check if any of them have been engaged in the electoral exercise.

No retired officer or employee can be engaged in the polling process, as they cannot be held accountable in case of any malpractice. Once the list comes, the EC will check the roles of each officer and initiate necessary steps in case it finds anything suspicious.  

“Many officials, including the DMs, the SDOs and the BDOs, were transferred barely days before the Assembly election dates were declared on March 15. 

There is hardly any doubt that these officials were posted in the new positions according to a plan of the Mamata regime. 

Once the list comes, the poll panel would verify each of the transfers. If required, they will be transferred again,” said a poll panel source.

Sources said that the transfers of these officials roughly a fortnight before the poll dates were announced drew the attention of the EC as they play an important role in conducting polls.

The DMs play the most vital role in a district as the DEO, guiding the entire election process in the district.

Officers in the SDO rank also play key roles as they are designated as returning officers of Assembly segments in a district. The BDOs, in turn, are important in managing the election machinery at the booth level.

Abhishek Banerjee had planted his loyalists too 

Then chief secretary Nandini Chakravorty and four other top civil and police officers were transferred by the EC within hours of the announcement of Assembly poll dates on March 15. 

Nandini Chakravorty was appointed as CS by Mamata by superseding a number of others. 

Election Commission appointed new district magistrates in 13 districts across Bengal.

Smita Pandey, an IAS officer of 2005-batch, will be the new municipal commissioner in the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. She replaces Anshul Gupta.

In the six north Bengal districts of Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, North Dinajpur, Malda Darjeeling and Alipurduars, Jitin Yadav, Sandeep Ghosh, Vivek Kumar and Rajanvir Singh Kapur, Harishankar Panicker and T. Balasubramaniam have been appointed as the new district magistrates.

In Murshidabad and Nadia; R. Arjun and Srikant Palli will be the new district magistrates.

Despite poll season in Kerala; Shashi Tharoor says Modi Govt's "silence" on ongoing West Asia War is "recognition of India's national interest"

"The war on Iran is unjustifiable under international law. India’s silence is not an endorsement of that war. It is a recognition that our national interest requires prudence, not posturing," writes Congress MP in 'The Indian Express'. 

India’s silence on West Asia war is not moral surrender. It is responsible statecraft

"We were reluctant to condemn the Soviet Union’s flagrant violations of international law in Hungary (1956), Czechoslovakia (1968), and Afghanistan (1979). Why? Because we rightly judged that we had too much at stake in our relationship with Moscow to antagonise it."

In the last couple of weeks, many Indian liberals have turned their ire inward, accusing those of us who have not condemned the government’s silence on the US-Israeli war against Iran of moral cowardice. In the American phrase, it has become a “circular firing squad” — shooting on ourselves. 

They want us all to demand that India should have taken the moral high ground, denouncing the war as a flagrant violation of international law.

Let me state clearly: I concur that the war cannot be justified under international law. It violates the very principles India has historically stood for — respect for sovereignty, non-aggression, and peaceful resolution of disputes. Nor, as I have explained earlier, is there a case for pre-emptive self-defence either. And yes, we should have promptly issued condolences on the death of the Supreme Leader of Iran, as we had done when its president was killed in a helicopter crash. 

I am free to say so, and so are my liberal friends in the Opposition or the commentariat. But I will not condemn the government for choosing silence over confrontation.

India’s diplomacy has always been about balancing principle with pragmatism. 

Jawaharlal Nehru’s policy of non-alignment was not a refusal to take moral positions, but a recognition that India’s sovereignty and survival depended on avoiding entanglement in Cold War hostilities. Today, in an increasingly multipolar world, India practises “multi-alignment” — engaging with diverse powers, sometimes in tension with one another, while keeping our national interest paramount.

The objective has remained constant: Protect India’s sovereignty while speaking for global justice. 

"No one holds a monopoly over patriotism, nor over the interpretation of the values taught by Gandhi or Nehru. The true tribute to their legacy lies in applying their values wisely to the realities of our time, not in self-gratifying denunciations that could jeopardise our interests," he writes.

Former UN diplomat also says:

"Critics forget that India has often chosen silence when principles collided with national interest. We were reluctant to condemn the Soviet Union’s flagrant violations of international law in Hungary (1956), Czechoslovakia (1968), and Afghanistan (1979). Why? 

Because we rightly judged that we had too much at stake in our relationship with Moscow to antagonise it with a moralistic stand. The Soviet Union was our principal arms supplier, a crucial diplomatic partner, and a counterweight to Western hostility.

That silence did not mean we endorsed Soviet aggression. It meant we understood the costs of confrontation and chose prudence over posturing. Today, the same logic applies to our stand on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israeli-American assault on Iran."

India has far too much at stake, not only in the US, but in the Gulf Arab states currently facing Iranian missile and drone attacks. Nearly $200 billion in annual trade flows through this region. Our energy security depends on Gulf oil and gas. And the well-being of some 9 million Indian workers and residents in the Gulf is directly tied to regional stability.

To indulge in sanctimonious moralising by condemning the US-Israeli war on Iran would risk destabilising these relationships. It would jeopardise remittances that sustain millions of Indian households, energy supplies that fuel our economy, and trade ties that underpin our growth. Silence, in this context, is not cowardice. It is a sober recognition of the interconnectedness of our national interests with the realities of the region.

We must also acknowledge the nature of the government in Washington. Today’s United States does not prioritise international law in the way we might wish. President Donald Trump is often willing to lash out at those who obstruct his objectives. While the war violates tenets we stand for, jeopardising the many other strategic interests we have with the US would be unwise.

Our defence cooperation, technology partnerships, and shared concerns about China’s rise all depend on a stable relationship with Washington. To antagonise the US with a moralistic denunciation of its war would risk undermining these vital interests. Loud lecturing combines poorly with low leverage. Foreign policy is, above all, about the protection of sovereignty, the pursuit of prosperity, and the preservation of peace. 

"Our interests are not served by indulging in the gratification of grandstanding— unless we are confident that we can comfortably withstand the consequences. And today, we cannot," he says. 

To acknowledge reality is not to kowtow to anyone. India has often spoken for global justice in multilateral forums. But we have also known when to hold our tongue. That balance is the essence of responsible statecraft.

Silence, in the absence of leverage, can be a strategy. It allows us to preserve our interests while keeping open the possibility of quiet diplomacy. It avoids unnecessary confrontation while preserving the channels of communication with both sides that might permit constructive action in favour of peace.

Indian liberals who demand condemnation of the war mistake moral absolutism for moral courage. They forget that foreign policy is not an academic seminar. 

It is the arena where principles meet power, and where choices have consequences for millions of lives. To insist on denunciation without regard for consequences is to indulge in the luxury of rhetoric at the expense of responsibility.

Yes, Gandhi taught us the power of moral witness. Yes, Nehru spoke of international law as the foundation of peace. But both also understood the imperatives of national interest, argues Shashi. 

Their legacy is not one of rigid dogma, but of wise adaptation.

The war on Iran is unjustifiable under international law. 

India’s silence is not an endorsement of that war. It is a recognition that our national interest requires prudence, not posturing. If I were advising any Indian government, therefore, I too would counsel restraint. Restraint is strength: The strength to balance principle with pragmatism, to honour our values while safeguarding our interests, and to navigate a dangerous world with wisdom rather than bravado.

For a government to recognise geopolitical realities and weigh consequences for India’s economy and strategic position before taking a public stand is not “moral surrender”. It is responsible statecraft.

(Courtesy - The Indian Express)

ends

BJP drops sitting MLAs in Silchar and Udarbond :::: First list 88 nominees -- Himanta from Jalukbari, Pradyut Bordoloi in Dispur

Many Ex Congress leaders have been accommodated in BJP's list of candidates in Assam. 

A decade ago in 2016 the Lotus party created history when it ousted the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress ministry and gave the north eastern state the first BJP chief minister. But that honour was given to Sarbananda Sonowal. After 2021polls, the BJP changed its chief minister and the responsibility came to Himanta Biswa Sarma. 

Development is a major issue in the state and Dibrugarh in Upper Assam has been designated as the second capital of the state. This was of course linked to elections.

 #PradyutBordoloi to contest on #BJP ticket from Dispur. #Silchar BJP legislator dropped ... #RajdeepRoy gets ticket  

Another 'Rajdeep' Goala - a Bhojpuri leader who technically does not belong to Udarbond segment has been accommodated.  

Dr Rajdeep Roy is a former MP from Silchar Lok Sabha seat. He is an orthopaedic surgeon by profession. 

At least 10-12 ticket aspirants from the Udarbond seat (adjacent to Silchar) had made a big cause of requesting the high command not to entertain Goala's request; but the party leadership has preferred to go otherwise. 

Finance Minister Ajanta Neog has been fielded again from Golaghat, while other key faces include Ranoj Pegu (Dhemaji), Pijush Hazarika (Jagiroad) and Ashok Singhal (Dhekiajuli).  

Jalukbari is widely regarded as a stronghold of Himanta, who has won every Assembly election from the seat since 2001, including 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021.

From Hojai, Shiladitya Dev has been fielded. Sibu Mishra will be BJP nominee for Lumding and from Dhekiajuli, it is - Ashok Singhal. 

In a notable move, the party has fielded former Congress leader and sitting Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi from the Dispur Assembly seat, underscoring its effort to leverage recent political crossovers. 

Another recent entrant from Congress, Bhupen Kumar Borah, has been nominated from Bihpura. 

The BJP has also sharpened its focus on urban constituencies, announcing candidates for all major seats in Kamrup (Metro), including Jalukbari, Dispur, Guwahati Central and New Guwahati, indicating a strategy to consolidate its urban voter base. 

Across Upper Assam, the party has opted for seasoned candidates in key constituencies such as Duliajan, Tinsukia, Digboi and Dibrugarh. 

In Barak Valley, seats like Silchar, Karimganj North and Hailakandi feature candidates with established local presence, reflecting a continuity-driven approach. 

Women candidates have found limited but notable representation in the first list. 

Six women have been fielded, slightly lower than the seven in the 2021 elections. 

Among them are Madhavi Das (Birsing-Jarua), 

Jyostna Kalita (Chaygaon), 

Nilima Devi (Mangaldai), 

Ajanta Neog (Golaghat), 

Niso Terangpi (Diphu) and 

Rupali Langthasa (Haflong). 

Among others -- BJP candidates include -- 

Digboi Suren Phukan

Makum Sanjay Kishan (sitting MLA from Tinsukia, shifted to tea garden area) 

Tinsukia -- Pulok Gohain (an old BJP hand and is now municipality chairman) 

Chabua-Lahowal Binod Hazarika

Dibrugarh Prasanta Phukan

The list also spans several tribal and reserved constituencies, including Boko-Chaygaon (ST), Tamulpur (ST), Dhemaji (ST) and Majuli (ST), along with seats in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts.

The candidates were finalised at a meeting of the BJP’s Central Election Committee held on Wednesday evening. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other senior leaders. BJP’s Assam unit president Dilip Saikia was also present. 

Politically Assam is often divided into three categories. The Barak valley – Bengali dominated and Lower Assam and Upper Assam.

People in Upper Assam have always felt neglected and thus remained anguished.

And there are reasons for the same. Assam's Margherita is a famous spot for coal. Digboi is world famous for oil and Doom Dooma is well known for tea gardens and tea business. Top of that Dibrugarh and Tinsukia are two commercial hubs.

However the twist in the tale is that despite big talks of the BJP these three pockets in Upper Assam have issues vis-a-vis development. 

There is crisis of drinking water, growing joblessness and absence of new industrial units.

“The state of Assam and especially people in Upper Assam are desperately in need of alternative job avenues for young people and good health centres," says student Biren Goswami in Guwahati.  

Other BJP candidates also include:  

Diphu (ST) Niso Terangpi

Rongkhang (ST) Tuliram Ronghang

Amri (ST) Habe Teron

Haflong (ST) Rupali Langthasa

Lakhipur - Kaushik Rai

Katigorah Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha

Borkhola Kishore Nath

Dholai (SC) Amiya Kanti Das

Hailakandi Milon Das

Karimganj North Subrata Bhattacharjee

Patharkandi Krishnendu Paul

Ram Krishna Nagar (SC) Bijoy Malakar

ends