Guwahati, Oct 20 (IANS): Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika on Sunday claimed that the BJP-led alliance will win all five seats going to bypolls next month.
He told reporters here, “We already have MLAs in four out five seats where the bypolls are due in November. The voters of these Assembly constituencies have seen the unprecedented development undertaken by the double-engine government of the BJP. There is no doubt that people are very happy with our performance and they are ready to vote for the ruling alliance.”
Byelections in five Assembly constituencies -- Dholai, Samaguri, Behali, Bongaigaon, and Sidli -- became due following the elections of five legislators to the Lok Sabha.
The Dholai Assembly constituency is reserved for the Scheduled Caste (SC) community and the Sidli seat is reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST).
Except in Samaguri, where Congress heavyweight Rakibul Hussain has been winning since 2001, the rest of the four seats are with the BJP-led alliance.
Hazarika asserted that the BJP will oust Congress from Samaguri this time.
“The people of Samaguri constituency have been witnessing the misrule of the Congress party for a long time and they will reject the opposition party in the upcoming byelection,” he said.
The BJP has announced candidates for three seats -- Dholai, Samaguri and Behali.
Diplu Ranjan Sarma has been given a ticket in Samaguri while Diganta Ghatowar and Nihar Ranjan Das will fight for the BJP in Behali and Dholai Assembly segments respectively.
BJP’s former Minister Parimal Suklabaidya successfully contested in the Silchar Lok Sabha seat and his earlier assembly seat Dholai fell vacant. Another senior BJP leader Ranjit Dutta was also elected to the Lower House of Parliament this time. He was representing the Behali seat in the Assembly.
Congress leader Rakibul Hussain defeated the three-time AIUDF MP and party chief Badruddin Ajmal in the Dhubri Lok Sabha seat with a margin of more than 10 lakh votes reinforcing his status as a five-time legislator from the Samuguri Assembly seat.
BJP’s two allies -- Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) -- will contest polls in Bongaigaon and Sidli Assembly constituencies.