Jahnavi a sitting duck in Congress political mileau

Guwahati, Mar 16 (UNI) After setting her up as a prospective candidate, the Congress today sidelined AIDS victim Jahnavi Goswami by denying her a ticket in the battle royale against former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta.

As the Congress list is out and party nominees are taken out in processions, a crestfallen Jahnavi was left behind.

"I joined politics because of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Home Minister Rockeybull Hussein. State Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma was also instrumental. I came to politics and spend money that I needed fro my medicine. You ask them why I was humiliated like this?" said Jahnavi.

Jahnavi has little chance against Mr Mahanta, who had never lost the Barhampur seat since 1985, but still her arrival on the scene has brought some colour to the otherwise dull political campaigning.

Instead of her, Mrs Chitrelekha Phukan was given ticket.

"I wanted to push for a policy decision by which in the state blood samples of both the bride and groom are to be tested before marriage. I acquired HIV from my late husband. I lost my daughter.

There could be more. I wanted that legislation. That was my sole ambition," she said.

She has been the most known and visible face of anti-AIDS campaign in Eastern India and has been representing both the region and the country for long.

UNI MT BA SS1216