Guwahati: Congress leader Debabrata Saikia on Thursday firmly dismissed any possibility of joining the Bharatiya Janata Party to contest the Nagaon Lok Sabha seat. He stated unequivocally that he remains with the Congress despite shifting political dynamics in the state.
Background on Nagaon Seat
The Nagaon parliamentary constituency fell vacant after Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned to contest the assembly election from Dispur, a seat he subsequently won. This development triggered speculation about potential candidates, including Saikia.
Smear Campaign Allegations
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier claimed that Saikia would lose the election and then join the BJP. In response, Saikia said, “The ruling party has spread a smear campaign against me, which is very unfortunate. The rumour that I am seeking a ticket for the Lok Sabha election is completely baseless. They have devised this futile strategy only to demoralise our dedicated Congress workers, but our morale remains strong.”
Reasons for Congress Loss
Saikia reflected on the reasons behind the Congress party's electoral defeats, pointing to the allure of welfare schemes, alleged threats of being denied benefits, and, according to some people, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). “I am still surprised how I lost by a big margin,” he remarked.
Delimitation and Muslim-Majority Seats
Saikia also linked the party’s prospects to the 2023 delimitation exercise, which is often blamed for reducing the number of Muslim-majority seats from 35 to 22. In the recent elections, the Congress secured 19 of those 22 seats, prompting BJP leaders to accuse it of becoming a “party of Muslim minorities.”
All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal compared the Congress in Assam to the “Muslim League.” Saikia rejected this charge, stating, “In a secular country, it cannot be one country, one religion even if the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh wishes it to be so. It is not possible as long as this Constitution is in place.”
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About the Author
Kangkan Kalita is a reporter with The Times of India, covering issues on health, education, stories of human interest while keeping a close watch on political developments and student movements. Reporting on environment and forest-related issues and concerns of the northeast also interest him equally.
