Guwahati : To achieve the BJP’s goal of securing 22 Lok Sabha seats in the northeastern region, Himanta Biswa Sarma is setting his sights on winning 12 or more seats in Assam. The northeast region comprises a total of 25 Lok Sabha seats, with Assam having the largest share of 14 seats. To reach the target, the BJP must secure a substantial portion of Assam’s seats, ideally 12 to 13.
In the previous Lok Sabha elections, three Congress candidates emerged victorious in Assam, including Pradyut Bordoloi from Nagaon, Gaurav Gogoi from Kaliabor, and Abdul Khaleque from Barpeta. However, Gogoi’s Kaliabor constituency no longer exists due to a recent delimitation exercise, and a new Kaziranga Lok Sabha seat has been created. The BJP is confident about winning this new seat, making Gaurav Gogoi’s chances uncertain.
Nagaon has traditionally been a BJP stronghold, with Rajen Gohain, a senior party leader and former Union minister, winning the seat four times. Gohain, who was denied a ticket in the previous election due to a molestation case, is now a potential candidate. However, internal conflicts within the party in Nagaon could pose challenges for the BJP in retaining the seat.
Barpeta, represented by Khaleque, is dominated by Muslim voters. The AIUDF led by Badruddin Ajmal plans to field a candidate there, potentially making it a three-way contest and increasing the BJP’s chances.
Recently, Himanta Biswa Sarma held a comprehensive review meeting with BJP’s MLAs and MPs in Tinsukia district, including leaders from the party’s allies, Asom Gana Parishad and United People’s Party Liberal in Bodoland. Sarma emphasized the need to promote awareness of government schemes and ensure their effective implementation.