Assam delimitation draft: Resentment among leaders across party lines

The leaders of the different political parties, including the ruling BJP-AGP alliance, have expressed their displeasure over the Election Commission's draft delimitation of constituencies.

Guwahati:Resentment is brewing across party lines over the Election Commission's draft delimitation of constituencies in Assam. Members of the opposition parties as well as the BJP-AGP ruling alliance have expressed displeasure and demanded redrawing of the draft.

In the draft, the number of Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies was the same, but there has been a drastic change in the constituency boundaries. Besides, there is a major change in the reservation system as well as the abolition of constituencies and the creation of new ones. The draft delimitation of constituencies if implemented in toto will jeopardise the political future of several leaders of both ruling and opposition parties.

There was a difference of opinion among the members of the ruling parties in Barak Valley in particular over the reorientation of constituencies. The MLAs under the Karimganj Lok Sabha seat expressed satisfaction while legislators under Silchar Lok Sabha showed displeasure. Silchar MP Rajdeep Roy has already held discussions with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on the issue.

On the other hand, the Silchar MP also had a long discussion with minister Ashok Singhal. But the outcome of these meetings remained inconclusive. It may be recalled that minister Singhal had supervised the entire process of delimitation of the constituencies on the direction of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Before the publication, the minister had overseen all aspects of the draft while camping in Delhi.

There were some innovative changes in the new draft, giving preference to indigenous people in the constituency. It was stated to be one of the reasons for discontent among leaders belonging to different constituencies in the state. It may be recalled that MP Rajdeep Roy was objecting to the reservation for the Silchar Lok Sabha constituency in the draft.

It is to be noted that the Thaora constituency represented by Sushant Buragohain has also been abolished following the re-determination of the constituency. Sushant was unhappy with this new development. It is noteworthy, while AGP has welcomed the draft, several leaders, including AGP MLA from Amguri Pradeep Hazarika, former AGP MLA from Chhaygaon and chairman of Khadi Board Kamala Kalita were openly expressing their anger.

In the draft released by the Election Commission, senior AGP leader Pradeep Hazarika's Amguri, Chhaygaon, from where Kamala Kalita was earlier representing and MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita's West Guwahati constituency were scrapped.