Source: North East Press Service - http://www.nepsindia.com
Guwahati, March 23:
After the declaration of the BJP's final list of candidates for the various constituencies of Assam, there are noticeable signs of discontentment especially among the BJP leaders in the State.
Discontent and demonstration by the party workers continue within the State unit of the BJP over the choice of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.
The BJP National Council member and veteran party leader Dulal Barua who had not been given a ticket from Jorhat has joined Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) recently.
Senior party worker R P Sharma, who had been similarly left out for the Tezpur constituency and Bhaba Goswami, whose name had been included in the panel but had not been ultimately selected, had resigned and waiting for future course of action.
The haphazard way of selection has given rise to dissension and unknown faces have been accommodated where they have virtually no chances of winning, a senior State level party leader said.
The poor selection of the candidate for different constituency and due to the lobby system in the state party, few genuine and senior party workers were denied from ticket, he added.
Speaking to this correspondent, Indramoni Bora, state unit president said he had sent letters to the leaders who had resigned and requested them to review their decisions.
"I have also asked them to return to work for the party and ensure our victory.
It is not possible to nominate more than one candidate from each constituency.
Therefore it is obvious that some resentment would emerge.
However, the matter will be sorted out in a few days," he assured.
Delegation of party members from various constituencies of Assam especially Dhubri met the Indramoni Bora against the candidature of Jebin Barbhuyan.
The party men alleged that the candidate did not have the necessary support base in Dhubri.
Moreover, supporters of Guwahati MP and Union Minister Bijoya Chakraborty, demonstrated in front of the party office.
There have been several senior faces who have been denied ticket while novices as businessman-turned journalist-turned-politician GL Agrawal has been pitted in a prestigious constituency where he has little chance of winning.
Although there is no question of an open revolt agai9nst the party, the various incidents of burning down of party office in Dhubri and demonstration against candidate selection in Guwahati is a pointer to the fact that all is not well.
Meanwhile, rumors discontent continue among the BJP workers in Karimganj and Hailakandi districts over the selection of Parimal Suklabadya, sitting MLA in state assembly.
The Karimganj Lok Sabha seat is termed as the safest constituency for the BJP, but last year due to candidature of Parimal Suklabadya, who hailed from another district, BJP lost the seat with a narrow margin.
This year too few BJP workers overlooked the situation and once again supported Parimal Suklabadya instead of senior, popular and local candidate Jyotirmoyee Choudhry.
The supporter of Jyotirmoee Choudhury has complained against the selection procedure and lobby system prevailed in the state unit for the nomination of candidates.
While answering these quarries, Indramoni Bora said that the nominations were decided by the party high command and that he had no say in the matter.




