While campaigning for Phanidhar Talukdar, the BJP candidate from Bhabanipur in lower Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was presented a basket full of Assam lemons as a mark of respect by his followers on Wednesday. Sarma, who was fascinated by the tangy lemon, not only praised Gati (its cultivation site) but also made lemonade for himself on stage. At an election rally at Gati Mandir Ras Maidan, Sarma said, “I will take these lemons home and this is my day’s income.”
Bhabanipur, which has been an All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) stronghold for the last 15 years, will be an even more litmus test after the BJP’s victory in the recent Assam elections. The coveted assembly seat fell vacant when its MLA and AIUDF’s only Hindu legislator Phanidhar Talukdar opted to quit his party and join the BJP on 1 September.
“I would not have gone here if Phani Da had not paved the way. I have come here for an unseasonal by-election. Bhawanipore was an enterprise under AIUDF in the state. I am sad that under our government other constituencies will go ahead and not Bhabnipur. So I requested Fani da to join the BJP,” Sarma said.
There are about 50,691 minority voters in Bhawanipur assembly constituency while Assamese voters are around 49,496. Bodo has a population of 28,597 voters. Famous for its Vaishnava monasteries, Bhabanipur is also the birthplace of Khadgeshwar Talukdar, the first martyr of the Assam Movement.
Meanwhile, AIUDF has fielded Zubbar Ali against Phanidhar while Congress has fielded Shailendra Nath Das. The AIUDF saw that it is the party that works wonders in Bhabnipur and not an individual, and that is the only reason why the talukdar tasted success after a series of defeats in the recent assembly elections.
Bypolls to five assembly constituencies, Thaura, Mariani, Bhabnipur, Tamulpur and Gosaigaon, will be held on October 30. The BJP and its ally United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) have fielded candidates in all five seats. While BJP has fielded candidates in Thaura, Mariani and Bhabnipur seats, its ally UPPL has fielded candidates in Tamulpur and Gosaigaon.
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