HAFLONG, May 19 - For the first time in the history of Dima Hasao, Bharatiya Janata Party candidate BB Hagjer won the 16 Haflong (ST) LAC by defeating his nearest Congress (I) candidate Nirmal Langthasa with a margin of 8306 votes securing 51996 votes. Nirmal Langthasa secured 43862 votes.
The counting of votes, which was of 15 rounds, started at 8 am today and concluded at about 2:30 pm. After the Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner, Amarendra Barua declared BB Hagjer of BJP as the winner, jubilant supports, members and well wishers of BJP accorded a warm welcome to Hagjer and greeted him with garland, traditional gamosa etc.
Talking to the media, BB Hagjer expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the people of Dima Hasao who had wholeheartedly supported him in becoming the first BJP MLA in Dima Hasao since Independence. He assured that he would try his best to keep the promises that were made in the BJP manifesto. Hagjer is the son of late JB Hagjer, a former State Education minister.
When asked whether he would be given any berth in the ministry, he said that the decision remains with the party only.
Mention may be made here that since Independence, Congress has retained this seat all along barring only two terms, once by an Independent candidate late Hamdhan Mohan Haflongbar and by ASDC candidate Samarjit Haflongbar in 1996.
There were, however, two more candidates this time, one of HSDC Mayasing Daolagupu and of AIUDF Neikhol Haolai Changsan who secured 2476 and 1635 votes respectively. Nirmal Langthasa Cong (I) candidate, who was defeated by BB Hagjer, is the youngest son of GC Langthasa, former MLA who had retained this seat for several terms.
The conscious citizens are of the opinion that the people have voted for the BJP for overall development, infrastructure and uplift of the backward people of the district. They hoped that this time Dima Hasao would get priority in regards to the development works.
