NDA seat-sharing near final; talks on 10–12 seats ongoing: Assam CM

Titabar, Jan 12: With February 15 approaching, the date by which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to finalise seat-sharing arrangements within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has informed that a tentative framework is already in place, with only “10 to 12 seats” still under discussion.

“A general seat-sharing arrangement has been worked out. For instance, AGP in Bokakhat, BJP in Jalukbari and so on. Only 10 to 12 seats remain to be discussed,” Sarma told the press on the sidelines of the concluding day of the Chutia community festival at Birpal Khetra in Titabar, on Sunday evening.

Emphasising that the BJP does not target constituencies but focuses on candidate merit and public mandate, the Chief Minister said the party would allow voters to judge candidates based on performance.

“We will give tickets, and people will vote after judging the merit of the candidates. We have faith that the people will vote for us to form the government,” he said.

Sarma further clarified that sitting MLAs would be assessed strictly on their performance. “If an MLA has done good work, they will get the ticket. If not, they won’t. That is why there will be fewer aspirants in constituencies where MLAs have performed well,” he said.

The Chief Minister also said that the BJP would not field candidates in constituencies where over 80% of the population comprises Muslims, adding that around 22 such seats have been excluded from the party’s contest list.

“Titabar is a Hindu-dominated constituency. The BJP will not field candidates in constituencies where there are 80% Muslim voters. That is why we have left out 22 seats. We will contest around 103 to 104 seats,” he said.

Sarma confirmed that Titabar, which currently does not have a BJP MLA, will see a new candidate. “Since there is no sitting MLA in Titabar, there will be a fresh candidate here. In constituencies without sitting MLAs, it is normal to have six or seven ticket aspirants,” he added.

Reacting sharply to remarks made at a Congress joining programme in Jorhat, where newly inducted Congress leader Rejaul Karim Sarkar allegedly stated that Sivasagar and Tinsukia would be turned into Dhubri, Sarma condemned the statement as “serious and deplorable”.

“A very serious and condemnable statement was made that Sivasagar and Tinsukia will be turned into Dhubri. But what does that even mean?” he asked.

The Chief Minister claimed that demographic changes in Dhubri had marginalised indigenous communities.

“Dhubri was once home to Koch Rajbongshi and other indigenous communities. Due to the influx of Bangladesh nationals, around 80 to 85% of the population there is now of Bangladesh origin, and Hindus have become an extreme minority,” he claimed.

Sarma further alleged that such remarks implied similar demographic changes being planned for districts in Upper Assam.

“Turning Sivasagar and Tinsukia into Dhubri means bringing Bangladeshi nationals there, just like what happened in Dhubri, Barpeta, Goalpara and Bongaigaon,” he said, adding that Dibrugarh and Charaideo would also be affected.

The ‘who’s who debate’

He criticised Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi for not objecting to the statement. “Gaurav Gogoi should have immediately stood up and said, ‘I am the MP of Sivasagar, let Sivasagar remain Sivasagar.’ He failed to do so,” Sarma said.

Responding to Gogoi’s remark, “Who is Himanta Biswa Sarma?”, the Chief Minister said the question itself was inappropriate.

“I am the son of Kailash Nath Sarma and Mrinalini Devi. I am an ordinary Assamese from a middle-class family. What more identity is required?” he said. Sarma questioned why Assamese identity was being challenged.

“Will Assamese people now be asked ‘who are you’ in Assam itself? Does this mean an Assamese and Badruddin Ajmal are the same?” he asked.

Referring to former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Sarma said, “Tarun Gogoi used to ask, ‘Who is Badruddin Ajmal?’ Today, his son should be asking, ‘Who is Rezaul Karim?’ or ‘Who is Rakibul Hussain?’ Instead, they are asking ‘Who is Himanta Biswa Sarma?’”