BJP Faces Internal Turmoil Ahead of Assam Assembly Elections

Internal Strife Within BJP in Assam

Guwahati, March 22: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam is currently experiencing significant internal conflict following the announcement of candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled for April 9. Several sitting MLAs and those vying for tickets have threatened to run as Independents.

This unrest stems from the party's decision to overlook numerous senior leaders while selecting several recent entrants from the Congress party, leading to dissatisfaction among various factions within the organization.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and state BJP president Dilip Saikia have begun outreach initiatives to address the concerns of discontented leaders.

A notable point of contention has arisen in the Dispur constituency, where senior BJP figure Jayanta Das has publicly expressed his discontent after being denied a ticket. Instead, the seat was awarded to former Congress member Pradyut Bordoloi, who recently joined the BJP.

Das has accused the party leadership of neglecting long-standing members in favor of newcomers.

“The party is increasingly resembling a Congress BJP, where those who joined recently are being prioritized over those who built the organization over the years,” he stated, announcing his resignation and hinting at a potential Independent candidacy.

The inclusion of leaders like Bordoloi and Bhupen Borah, who is contesting from Bihpuria, has further intensified dissatisfaction among ticket aspirants.

In Bihpuria, sitting MLA Amiya Kumar Bhuyan has voiced his disappointment and is considering an Independent run after being denied renomination.

Veteran leader Atul Bora, who has represented his constituency multiple times, was also denied a ticket. He hinted at the possibility of running as an Independent, prompting Sarma to visit him personally in an attempt to resolve the issue. However, Bora has yet to announce his final decision.

Discontent is also surfacing in urban areas such as New Guwahati and Guwahati Central.

Former minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya, instrumental in bringing Sarma into the BJP in 2015, has been replaced by Diplu Ranjan Sarma. While Bhattacharya has maintained a calm demeanor, he remains uncertain about his role in the upcoming elections.

Similarly, AGP veteran Ramendra Narayan Kalita was denied a ticket in Guwahati Central, with the seat going to Vijay Gupta. This decision has reportedly caused dissatisfaction among voters, marking the first time a Hindi-speaking candidate has been nominated from this constituency.

In Upper Assam, former Jorhat MP Topon Kumar Gogoi is contemplating an Independent candidacy from Sonari, responding to pressure from his supporters. “There is a strong sentiment among my supporters that I should contest. We are currently discussing the matter,” he stated.

The fallout from the ticket distribution has also affected Barak Valley, where sitting MLAs including Nihar Ranjan Das, Dipayan Chakraborty, and Mihir Kanti Som have expressed dissatisfaction after being dropped. Cabinet minister Jayanta Malla Baruah has been assigned to engage with them to prevent further escalation.

Despite the rising unrest, Sarma has attempted to downplay the situation, emphasizing the practical challenges of candidate selection. “We had around 1,400 aspirants. It is not possible to accommodate everyone. We have also prioritized new faces who have contributed significantly at the grassroots level,” he explained.

He also noted that the 2023 delimitation exercise influenced the reshaping of constituencies, resulting in the denial of tickets to several sitting MLAs. In total, 19 incumbents have been dropped by the party.

Echoing a similar sentiment, Saikia expressed confidence that the dissent would be managed. “The BJP is a disciplined party. Some leaders may feel disappointed, but discussions are ongoing, and I am confident they will understand the larger interest of the organization,” he remarked.

However, a senior party leader, speaking anonymously, acknowledged that resentment remains, particularly regarding the allocation of tickets to former Congress members shortly after their induction into the BJP.

The situation has also drawn criticism from the opposition, with Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi claiming that the BJP in the state has effectively transformed into “a Congress led by Sarma.”

The BJP is contesting 90 of the 126 seats in the Assembly and has fielded 28 former Congress leaders who joined the party over the past decade.