Explained: Why Is Assam's Samaguri Constituency Witnessing Relentless Violence Ahead of Nov 13 Bypoll?

Samaguri constituency in Assam has been a Congress stronghold but the BJP is making a determined bid to gain a foothold in the current byelection.

Guwahati: Although five legislative assembly constituencies in Assam are going to bypolls on Wednesday, the Samaguri constituency in Nagaon district has grabbed all the media attention in the past few weeks, particularly due to stray incidents of violence, which have taken place like never before.

While one person has already been killed, several others - mostly the supporters of BJP and the Congress - have been injured during these stray incidents of violence that have been taking place in Samaguri. On Saturday, BJP supporters alleged that unidentified gunmen fired at a padyatra led by BJP MLA from Barhampur, Jitu Goswami. The BJP supporters also pointed fingers at former Congress minister and present Lok Sabha MP from Dhubri Rakibul Hussain for the firing incident.

Later on Sunday, miscreants attacked the vehicle of Congress candidate Tanzil Hussain. Tanzil's father, Lok Sabha MP from Dhubri Rakibul Hussain alleged that the BJP under the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is trying to kill his son to win the byelection in Samaguri. The developments in Samaguri clearly indicate that the battle of ballots for Samaguri on November 13 is more than a by-election.

What is at stake in Samaguri?

The ruling BJP and Opposition Congress are heading for a straight fight in Samaguri constituency. While the Congress is trying to hold its fort under the leadership of MP Rakibul Hussain, who held it last five terms before he is elected to Lok Sabha earlier this year, the BJP is trying to make its presence felt in the Congress citadel this time. Rakibul Hussain had been winning the Samaguri seat consecutively since 2001.

Rakibul Hussain's father Nurul Hussain first won the Samaguri seat in 1983 as a Congress (S) candidate. Although he lost to the United Minorities Front (UMF) candidate in the election held in 1985, Nurul Hussain regained victory again in 1991 elections. Nurul Hussain lost to Asom Gana Parishad (AGP)'s Atul Sharma in 1996 but Rakibul Hussain avenged the defeat in 2001 and continued the victory in Samaguri since then. As Rakibul Hussain got elected to the Lok Sabha, Tanzil became the only choice for the Hussains to continue the family legacy in Samaguri.

The BJP, on the other hand, put together its entire might to defeat Tanzil in Samaguri and fielded young saffron leader Diplu Ranjan Sarma, a publisher and businessman, who had been a Sangh worker for a long time. Tanzil's defeat in Samaguri will not only help BJP gain ground in the constituency but also help the party establish its foothold in a constituency entirely dominated by religious minority voters. The saffron party also wants to avenge the party's defeat in Jorhat Lok Sabha constituency in the Lok Sabha elections this year. Congress's Deputy leader in Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi had won the Jorhat Lok Sabha seat despite BJP going all guns blazing to ensure his defeat, which is also a prestige issue for Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Allegation and counter allegation

Accusing the Hussains of inciting violence, the ruling BJP had already sent a complaint to the Election Commission of India (ECI) through the Returning Officer urging the authority to restrain Rakibul Hussain from entering Samaguri constituency. "We have been expecting that Rakibul Hussain will resort to violence and bloodshed to win the elections in Samaguri. Our MLA Jitu Goswami and other leaders had to face attack by Hussain's men while campaigning in Samaguri. The Hussains have realized that they are not going to win the election this time as the people have extended their support to the BJP and so they are resorting to violence," said Assam's minister Bimal Borah.

The Congress, on the other hand, accused the BJP of inciting violence in the constituency. Leader of Opposition of the Assam legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia on Monday sent a letter to the Election Commission of India through the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in Assam seeking immediate action against the organized violence by the workers of the BJP in Samaguri constituency. Saikia had also alleged that the police are hand in glove with the BJP workers and said that despite the request of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) to transfer some police officers from Nagaon district to ensure free and fair elections, no action had been initiated by the Election Commission so far and that the police officers including the Superintendent of Police had been working under direct command of the BJP leaders and ministers to incite such violence.

The Congress had also sent another complaint to the ECI through Assam CEO about the violation of model code of conduct by CM Himanta Biswa Sarma while campaigning for the byelection to the five legislative assembly constituencies in Assam. "The Chief Minister in his capacity as the star campaigner for the BJP has announced new projects, programmes and laying of foundation stone etc which have the effect of influencing the voters in favour of the party in power," said Saikia.

Demographic pattern of Samaguri constituency

According to the 2011 census, Samaguri in Nagaon district has a total population of 330,575 including 167,823 males and 162,752 females. According to the statistics at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Assam, there are a total of 1,80,669 eligible voters in Samaguri which includes 91,627 males, 89,036 females and three belonging to third gender. Out of the total population, 59.66 percent are Muslims while the Hindu voters consist of 38.57 percent only (2011 census data). The census data further said that there are 17 percent Bengali voters while 7 percent voters from the tea tribes.

What Diplu Ranjan Sharma says

"BJP's motto has been development everywhere across the country. In Samaguri, development has stalled since last several years under the rule of Congress leader Rakibul Hussain. I am going to prioritize, health, education and employment generation in Samaguri constituency if I am voted to power. I have been visiting the constituency for last several months and I have realized that the people want a change here. They have realized the misrule of the Congress and that is the reason they have come out of the fear and I am sure we are going to win with a record margin this time," said BJP's candidate Diplu Ranjan Sarma.

What Tanzil Hussain says

A political novice, Tanzil sounded confident of his victory too. "As a Congress candidate I am confident of my victory, my father is also my leader and he had worked for the people of the constituency all these years. However, the recent violence in the constituency is very disturbing. The BJP is trying to kill me, I appeal to the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to let me live," Tanzil told ETV Bharat.

It may be mentioned here that police have registered multiple cases regarding the violence that have taken place in Samaguri in the last few days. "There is a spate in violence in Samaguri this time. We have registered the cases and our investigation is on in this regard," said Nagaon Superintendent of Police, Swapnaneel Deka while talking to ETV Bharat.

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