Assam BJP’s Muslim outreach, AIUDF’s presence diminish Cong’s chances in two minority-dominated seats

GUWAHATI: Five Lok Sabha seats in Assam — Nagaon, Karimganj, Silchar, Darrang-Udalguri and Diphu parliamentary constituencies went to the polls in the second phase of General Elections on Friday.

Among them, 24, the highest number of candidates, are in the fray in Karimganj Lok Sabha seat.

This constituency was de-reserved in last year’s delimitation exercise.

Minorities dominated the electoral politics in this seat in the last few Lok Sabha polls and the BJP could win this seat in 2019 after many years due to a triangular contest between the Congress, AIUDF and the saffron party.

Post delimitation, political observers believe that Muslim voters have outnumbered Hindu voters in Karimganj Lok Sabha seat with a margin of 1.5 lakh.

This makes this constituency a favourable seat for the Congress party.

However, as Badruddin Ajmal’s party AIUDF also fielded a candidate here, the task of the Congress in Karimganj is not an easy one, many now believe.

The BJP has again fielded incumbent MP Kripanath Mallah, while senior advocate of Gauhati High Court Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury has been contesting on a Congress ticket in Karimganj.

The AIUDF has given a ticket to Sahabul Islam Choudhury, who earlier fought two Assembly elections in Karimganj and lost both.

However, if he is able to pull a sizable portion of minority votes this time, the Congress candidate will find it hard to defeat the BJP.

The delimitation exercise has changed the voter demographics in Nagaon Lok Sabha seat where Muslims now outnumber the Hindus.

The Congress has given the sitting MP Pradyut Bordoloi a ticket to fight the polls in Nagaon while the BJP has fielded Congress turncoat Suresh Bora in this constituency.

Meanwhile, AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam was given the party ticket to fight polls in Nagaon. Islam is a strong contender who has ground support among Bengali-speaking Muslims and they constitute a good number of voters in Nagaon.

According to political observers, this Lok Sabha seat will witness a strong triangular contest between Bordoloi, Bora and Islam.

In the run-up to the General Elections, the BJP reached out to Muslim voters, with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma leading from the front.

Sarma, in the last few weeks, asserted multiple times during election campaigns that his government had not discriminated against the Muslim community and had been working for the betterment of all.

Sarma appealed to Muslim voters by saying, “Your one vote can free the Muslim sisters from the shackles of polygamy and child marriage.”

He said, “The BJP government has saved Muslim girls from the pain of child marriage. Muslim women are protected as triple talaq is banned in the country.”

According to the Chief Minister, due to the BJP’s tough stance to provide government jobs only on merit, Muslim youths are also benefiting.

Meanwhile, in Assam, Muslim scholars are also coming forward in support of the BJP. A group of Muslim religious leaders prayed for the victory of BJP candidate Suresh Bara from Nagaon.

The BJP’s outreach to the Muslims and the AIUDF candidates’ strong presence have diminished the Congress’ chances for a victory in two minority-dominated Lok Sabha seats — Nagaon and Karimganj that went to the polls on Friday.