Himanta Biswa Sarma confident of delivering better N-E results
The BJP had denied ticket to sitting Lok Sabha MPs on Jorhat and Tezpur Lok Sabha seats.
Guwahati: Soon after BJP central leadership decided to put a brakes on Himanta Biswa Sarma’s ambition to contest Lok Sabha polls, the BJP strong man has started formulating strategy for party candidates and made his presence by accompanying candidates in filing the nomination for North Lakhimpur and Jorhat Lok Sabha constituencies.
Clarifying that he has put his own desire to contest Tezpur Lok Sabha seat on back burner, acceding to the central party leadership, Mr Sarma said that he does not wish to discuss the matter any further since he has already accepted the decision of the party president. “The party has entrusted us with the responsibility to get maximum seats,” he added.
Confident to deliver a better result this time, Mr Sarma said, “We believe BJP and North East Democratic Alliance will win 19-20 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the region (including Sikkim).”
In an obvious bid to make the BJP-AGP alliance workable he said that BJP has decided that no election banners and posters will carry the lotus symbol in seats where AGP is contesting. “We don’t want to confuse voters by putting our symbol on AGP’s posters. Even posters featuring Narendra Modi won’t have the lotus symbol in these constituencies but the elephant (AGP’s symbol),” Mr Sarma said.
Mr Sarma who himself started his election campaign from Koliabor constituency which has been given to AGP said, “BJP workers will have to work harder than AGP workers to win this seat. Our partner (in 2016 assembly election), Ganashakti, will also work with us. Our fight is not against Congress but it is a fight to ensure that the indigenous Assamese stand with their heads held high.” Kaliabor has a sizeable Muslim voter base, which can swing the election outcome if they vote as one bloc.
With this in mind, Mr Sarma appealed to the voters of the constituency to “remain united” so no one can deny the AGP candidate, Moni Madhab Mahanta, a victory. He is the younger brother of AGP working president and water resources minister Keshab Mahanta.
After completing his campaign meeting Mr Sarma moved to neighbouring Jorhat constituency to campaign for party’s new face Topon Kumar Gogoi, a minister, and then to Dibrugarh on Saturday.
In order to enhance coordination among the party workers, Mr Sarma accompanied chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday to file the nomination paper for Mr Gogoi from Jorhat Lok Sabha seat. Mr Sarma is also confident to swing the elections in Tezpur Lok Sabha seat as well. The BJP had denied ticket to sitting Lok Sabha MPs on Jorhat and Tezpur Lok Sabha seats.