Development again the core issue in Asom elections

Bilasipara, Dhubri, Apr 9: It is just another day of hard work for Abdul Gafur, a poor rice farmer of this sleepy, backward town of Asom, who is almost oblivious of the fact that some people are fighting a pitched battle to decide who will rule over his next five years of deprivity and suffering.

Gafur is among hundreds of those, whom successive state governments have apparently ignored up to now, as is is evident from the rickety infrastructure in this part of lower Asom. Non-existent roads, negligible medical facilities, no prospects for higher education and rampant unemployment, seems to hit the limelight featured during election times only. A major part of this region -- Barpeta, Bhawanipur, Sarukhetri, Bagbur, Barkhetri, Jonia in the Barpeta district and Bilasipara East and West in Dhubri district suffers from the same symptoms.

People here are engaged mostly in agriculture and pisciculture while some who boast of some capital, own small businesses. The region, a majority of whose population is Muslim, is deprived of some of the basic requirements of life.

Though this time too, development has been made a major issue but it seems that it has been just an electoral plank all over again.

The advent of a new party, Asom United Democratic Front, which owes its ideology to Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, and the division of Bodo parties have made the contest all the more interesting this time.

With the AUDF also in the fray, the bifurcation of Muslim votes and the division of Bodo votes may throw up some interesting equations in lower Asom. The Congress, which used to win a majority of seats from here is batting on a sticky wicket but at the same time with roping in campaigners, like party president Sonia Gandhi, it seems to have reclaimed some of the sliding vote base.

AUDF and AGP are emerging as strong contenders to the traditional Congress voters. Both parties are campaigning hard, highlighting the neglect of the incumbent Congress government towards the region. AUDF, which is contesting its first elections in the state, was floated by business tycoon, Maulana Badaruddin Ajmal, who claims that his party is going to play a crucial role in the government formation in the state, as no party would get a clear majority.

Also, a sizeable number of dissidents and independents, who have been denied tickets are giving nightmares to all the political parties. Most of them were sitting MLAs, who were either contesting as independents or on the rivals tickets, giving a new dimension to the contest.

The fate of 482 candidates, 451 male and 31 female, would be decided in tomorrow's poll. In the first phase of election on April 3, altogether 65 constituencies went to the hustings. Star campaigners from all the major political parties including Ms Sonia Gandhi and Mr Sachin Pilot(Congress), Ms Hema Malini, Ms Sushma Swaraj, Mr Pramod Mahajan,Ms Smriti Irani(all BJP) and Ms Jayapradha, Ms Jaya Bachchan (Samajwadi Party) added colour to the campaign.

Weather, too played its part as incessant rains spoiled election campaigns compelling various parties to plan afresh their meetings. Intermittent showers made it impossible for helicopters to fly, which are a huge draw here. The AUDF president devised a novel way when he addressed a rally over cellphone as he could not reach the rally ground due to inclement weather. Most of the parties, under pressure from the Election Commission, relied heavily on public meetings and door-to-door campaigns instead of posters and pamphlets.

However, the weather improved eventually in the last two days and the candidates made the most of it.

The frenzied campaign ended yesterday. Polling will be held tomorrow and the counting would begin on May 11.

Another interesting aspect of elections this time was an amazing show of unity by non-Congress and non-BJP parties. TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh reached Asom on March 30 to campaign in Upper Assam for opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) candidates. This was possible because, under the leadership of Brindaban Goswami, the AGP severed ties with the BJP and positioned itself as a secular party. The biggest incentive is the Muslim vote, which can tilt the scales in 45 of the 126 constituencies.

Though, political analysts feel that there would be a fractured mandate this time but they still do not deny the fact that the Congress may still emerge as the single largest party and with the support of the NCP, the Left parties and the independents, it may be able to return to power in the state.

UNI