Seven candidates in fray, BJP-Congress fight takes centre stage in Dhekiajuli

TEZPUR, April 2: A straight fight between the BJP and the Congress is likely in the ensuing Assembly election in the Dhekiajuli LAC, even though Ranjay Basumatary from the Voters Party International (VPI), and Independent candidates Ladilach Induwar, Anchuma Basumatary, Tarkius Topno, and Samsul Haque may also influence a section of voters in their respective areas.

There are seven candidates vying for the seat. It is pertinent to mention that the Dhekiajuli LAC has been dominated by BJP MLA cum Cabinet Minister Ashok Singhal for the last two terms and he has a wide influence among the voters of every community under the Assembly segment.

After delimitation, the constituency has 70,000 Bodo voters, 47,000 Adivasi voters, 23,000 linguistic Assamese voters, 22,000 Bengali voters, 13,000 Nepali voters, 5,100 Bihari voters, and 634 other voters. Among these, the Bodo and Adivasi voters have been playing a decisive role in both the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.

It is a well-known fact that the northern part of the constituency, which was once a hotbed of insurgency, has turned into a peaceful zone following the 2020 BTR accord. Ashok Singhal had played a pivotal role both at the State and the Centre in guiding the Bodo signatories of the historic accord. As a result, he has been able to maintain a hold among the Bodos in the belt. As such, ground reports indicate that despite many debates, the lion’s share of the voters are likely to give their mandate to Ashok Singhal.

However, Congress candidate Batash Orang, who was once a guiding force for Ashok Sighal in the district, has quit the saffron party and has presently emerged as a major opponent for the BJP in the area. Being a dedicated social worker with a strong network among all the communities, including the Adivasis, Orang will undoubtedly influence a good number of Adivasi voters in the constituency. Ashok Singhal is consequently facing a tricky situation as his main opponent, Batash Orang, is being backed by different Adivasi organisations along with a section which feels that Dhekiajuli needs a change in the form of a local representative who understands their genuine issues.

Meanwhile, the Congress camp in the Dhekiajuli LAC, which was earlier divided into various factions due to the lack of like-minded candidates, is united this time to properly fight the electoral battle. As such, only time will tell which candidate will have the last laugh.