Assam constituency watch: Dispur turns 3-cornered after BJP candidate change sparks revolt

AHigh-stakes, three-cornered contend has emerged in Dispur after the Bharatiya Janata company (BJP)’s surprisal prospect shift triggered rebellion within its ranks, setting up a fierce battle in Assam’s capital seat.Until last week, the contest was expected to be between Atul Bora, the sitting MLA from the BJP, and Mira Borthakur Goswami, a former BJP leader who joined the Congress in 2021.However, that changed on March 19 when the BJP released its list of candidates for next month’s Assam assembly polls. Pradyut Bordoloi, a Congress MP who had joined the saffron party just a day earlier, was given the ticket for Dispur.This upset Bora, who has represented the Dispur seat five times since 1985—thrice as an Asom Gana Parishad candidate and twice for the BJP in 2016 and 2021. The 65-year-old initially threatened to contest as an Independent or support the Congress’s Goswami.He was eventually placated after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited his residence, though he expressed reservations about campaigning for new BJP entrant Pradyut Bordoloi.While Bora was eventually convinced, another BJP leader, Jayanta Das—who had been waiting in the wings for over three decades—decided to contest as an Independent. Efforts by senior leaders, including Sambit Patra, to persuade him to change his plans failed, and on Friday, Das was expelled from the BJP for six years.With this, the Dispur contest has turned into a three-cornered battle, with Mira Borthakur Goswami (Congress), Pradyut Bordoloi (BJP), and Jayanta Das (Independent) seeking voters’ support to outdo one another.“I had never expected that I would get an opportunity to represent Dispur. But it was God’s choice and an appeal from the BJP leadership that I am here in front of you today. I can’t assure at this moment that I will solve all your problems, but I can assure that the main capital I have is my sincerity to the people of my constituency. Hence, I seek your blessings,” Bordoloi said on Saturday while addressing a campaign meeting.On the other hand, taking cue from the heavy downpour in the city on Saturday morning, Congress’s Goswami visited waterlogged areas of the constituency such as Hatigaon, Survey and Rukminigaon, and accused the government of failing to address this important problem. She also appealed to those present to support her and assured them that the issue would be addressed.“The government keeps on harping about development. What kind of development is this when people have to wade through knee-deep water in the middle of Guwahati?” said Goswami, adding that the Congress government under Tarun Gogoi was more efficient in handling urban flooding.The Dispur seat has returned candidates from different parties as victors over the years. Since 1978, the constituency has seen winners from the Janata Party, Congress, Asom Gana Parishad and BJP, with Atul Bora, the sitting MLA, being the most successful candidate.“It’s tough to guess who will emerge on top in Dispur. Independent Jayanta Das has a very good connect with the people, some of whom feel that he was wronged by the BJP for denying him the ticket and choosing Congress defector Bordoloi,” said Shahzahan Kazi, a resident.“Despite the BJP’s immense party strength, Bordoloi will have an uphill task. But it’s early days and a lot could change before voting. Congress’s Goswami has a good image and could emerge the winner if Das manages to cut into the BJP’s vote base and deny Bordoloi a win,” he added.Besides Bordoloi, Goswami and Das, there are two other candidates in the fray in Dispur: Ballav Patra from the Aam Aadmi Party and Ayush Kumar Singh (Independent).