Assam BJP aims at fifth straight win in 'aspirational' Darrang-Udalguri

Udalguri, Apr 25 (PTI) Initiating development work in the interior regions and extending coverage of government schemes are among the key issues in the 'aspirational' Darrang-Udalguri parliamentary constituency of Assam, which goes to polls in the second phase on Friday.
    The constituency comprises two districts of Assam – Darrang and Udalguri – and has an electorate count of around 22 lakh, over seven lakh of which are Muslim voters.
    BJP is eyeing a fifth successive win in the constituency (previously called Mangaldai), but it will likely face stiff competition from the Congress, which is banking on the support of Muslims, and the Bodoland People's Front (BPF), with its stronghold on the Bodo-dominated areas encapsulating a major part of the seat.
    Incumbent MP Dilip Saikia, seeking a second straight term, claimed that holistic development in the last 10 years will ensure his victory with a comfortable margin.
    “Both the districts are performing well as per various development indices. We have focused on inclusive growth and it will bear fruit for us," he said, asserting that be it “majority or minority, they will all support the BJP”.
    Launched in 2018, the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) aims to quickly and effectively transform 112 most under-developed districts across the country including areas falling under this constituency.
    Congress candidate and former two-time MP Madhab Rajbongshi, however, alleged that development work has been very limited. He claimed to have the support of a cross section of voters, including Muslims, Christians and tribals.
    "The constituency and its people have got nothing in the last 20 years... We are confident of winning and securing 50 per cent of the votes polled," the veteran politician asserted.
    For BPF's Durga Das Boro, the support of the indigenous population and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), which has a strong presence among Muslim voters, will be the “game changing” factor, he stressed.
    "The smaller regional parties here and the AIUDF have extended support to us. We also have strong backing from people at the ground level," Boro, who represents the Kaliagaon seat under Darrang-Udalguri in the state assembly, claimed.
    Following the delimitation exercise last year, the constituency now has 11 assembly segments, including six under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
    While Muslims form a significant chunk of voters, Bodos and other Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities, tea tribes, Christians and general category citizens also have notable presence in the seat.
    With a major part of Darrang-Udalguri coming under BTR, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act may not have an apparent impact here, observers opine. The tussle between tribals and non-tribals in Udalguri district has, however, remained another core issue, they say.
    Wooing a diverse section of voters in the constituency also appears to be a challenge for the candidates in the fray here.
    Mujahi Alam Sarkar, a resident of Udalguri, claimed: "We have to face a lot of problems, especially in getting land pattas (deeds). The coverage of government flagship schemes like ‘Orunodoi’ is very limited in our villages, too.”
    "The government has stopped accepting 'khazna' (revenue) since 2019 from the land under our occupation. We have no idea why that happened... We have been residents of these areas for decades," said Kuntimaya, a Gorkha community woman who runs a hotel.
    Residents of Darrang seemed comparatively better off since they don’t have to face difficulties like securing land ownership as the seat is an unreserved one. Development, though, still remains the main focus.
    For Raj Sharma, a resident of Mangaldai town, infrastructure development is a key issue.
    "Infrastructure has improved over the last few years, but basic necessities are yet to reach the interior parts, particularly the road network. The government has said that some major schemes for improving road connectivity have been sanctioned for Darrang, and we are hopeful that these will have a positive impact," Sharma said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)