KOKRAJHAR, March 27 – As the 13th Assam Assembly elections approach, internal crisis among some leading political parties in Kokrajhar at the headquarters of BTAD has grown as cracks have developed among party workers in some segments.
Significantly, the ruling political party BPF and its ally the Congress both have their share of the problem.
In a political shift, Parameswar Brahma, the sitting MLA and Parliamentary Secretary of Assam from BPF quit the party as he did not get the BPF ticket this time. Strong resentment prevails among BPF workers as a result of which the BPF had to change its candidate from Chapaguri LAC in which sitting MLA Thaneswar Basumatary was replaced by Hitesh Basumatary, EM of BTC. Similarly a BPF candidate Iyat Ali Sarkar from Sorbhog has been unexpectedly withdrawn with a compromise to leave the seat for the Congress candidate.
On the other hand, strong resentment also prevails over the selection of Rina Brahma from Kokrajhar West by the Congress party. Further the BJP candidate Santosh Tarafdar selected by the party in Gossaigaon LAC has also created dissatisfaction among a large section of BJP workers in Kokrajhar district.
Non-political bodies agenda: Several non-political organisations having stronghold across communities are emerging as key factors in wooing voters on the issues dominating in this area.
A leading Bodo organisation ABSU has already appealed to the Bodo political parties for unification move in view of the common issue of Bodoland Statehood claiming that the struggle of Bodo movement is as yet incomplete. At the same time, several demands of ABSU particularly in the field of education and social upliftment are yet to be achieved. However, the ABSU is keeping its stand of not taking side with any political party. It is therefore pertinent that on the pending demands ABSU may have a discontent over governance.
On the other hand, AKRSU which has a strong hold over the Rajbongshi communities in this region has been mounting their struggle for ST status and separate Kamatapur Statehood, could not find much favour with the government so far and it has appealed to this community not to vote for the Congress party. As such, a larger segment may be influenced by the decision of AKRSU to take the side of any candidate in the fray.
Further, AASAA alongwith other non-political organisations among Adivasis has also been repeatedly asking for a clear-cut decision of the government, primarily in respect of the ST status of this backward community. At the same time they have also focused on some horrible recent incidents of eviction in the Lungsung forest areas in Kokrajhar apart from the killing incident of leaders like Bosco Charmaco etc.
As such rising above political lines these non-political organisations have rational issues which are yet to be satisfactorily addressed.
