TEZPUR, March 18 - Amid strong protest by the grassroot-level workers and the ticket aspirants, the BJP has given its tickets to two �unfamiliar� candidates in 71-Dhekiajuli and 72-Barchala LACs, alleged the locals.
�After experiencing a bitter experience of the Congress reign during the last three consecutive terms in both the Assembly segments, the people irrespective of party, caste and religion expected a political change and proper development by the people�s representatives having a clean image through this election�, said a local here requesting anonymity.
Accordingly, with a local sentiment and hope of change, the people, particularly the BJP workers, projected their local candidates and with an enthusiastic zeal started campaigning among the common people to woo their support, but the BJP supporters in both Barchala and Dhekiajuli LACs have been dejected as their aspirations were thrown to the winds by the party leadership by giving the party ticket to unfamiliar and imported candidates having no social base, like Ashok Shinghal and Ganesh Limbu, the locals said.
The people of both the LACs said that by fielding such candidates, BJP has committed a blunder, thereby giving a walk over to their major opponents, the Congress. Though the BJP had a good chance to win both the seats, because of this reason they will lose again, as the people feel that in comparison to the two BJP candidates, the former Planning Minister-cum-Barchala MLA Tanka Bahadur Rai and Dhekiajuli MLA Habul Chakrabarty, are far better options available.
In the list of BJP candidates for the Dhekiajuli and Barchala LACs, names of the local workers having good image like Dr Birendra Kumar Nath, Benudhar Nath, Batash Orang, Tulsi Barthakur, journalist Pankaj Kumar Nath, Hemanta Adhikari among others, were proposed, said a senior party worker, adding that the party high command rejected the common people�s wishes and gave tickets to two unfamiliar faces.
Pointing out to certain major issues in both the LACs, the BJP workers also said that in most parts of the Dhekiajuli LAC, particularly on the northern belt, people are yet to enjoy facilities like health and hygiene, road communication, electricity, school and colleges, potable water facility etc. Despite a lot of funds allotted for executing such projects, they are deprived of modern day life amenities.
�Due to the massive misappropriation of Government funds by the Congress workers in nexus with the local MLA during the Congress regime, every possible development work was dropped, due to which people anticipated a change in their representative who could properly deliver on his commitments to the people. But after the fielding of unfamiliar candidates, every plan has been smashed,� the BJP worker reiterated.
Echoing the same, the BJP workers in Barchala LAC also said that there was a BJP wave among the common people as during the last three consecutive terms of Congress regime; the people have not witnessed any notable development work apart from construction of few poor quality roads and job placement for some youths from a particular community.
�Ganesh Limbu is not among the grassroot level people, as we know most of the time he remains busy in the coal business and has never worked for the party. There were many good and efficient workers among us, but such people were not given importance for which the party will again lose the seat,� the BJP workers lamented.
