HT Bureau
DONGKAMUKAM, April 9: With the Parliamentary elections drawing near, political fervor in West Karbi Anglong is on the rise as parties have geared up for the second phase of polling scheduled for April 26.
This time around, five candidates are vying for the 6-Diphu (ST) Parliamentary Constituency. Among them are Amarsing Tisso from the BJP, Joyram Engleng from Congress, Jotson Bey from the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC), John Bernard Sangma from the Gana Suraksha Party (GSP), and independent candidate JI Kathar, backed by the All Party Hills Leaders Conference (APHLC).
In recent campaign efforts, Congress candidate Joyram Engleng expressed confidence in his party’s prospects, asserting that the people are disenchanted with the Modi government’s promises of “ache din” and are seeking change.
Meanwhile, independent candidate JI Kathar has been advocating for the strengthening of the Sixth Scheduled and the implementation of Article 244 (A) to grant autonomous statehood in hill districts of Assam. Kathar’s campaign has focused on reaching out to every Member of Autonomous Constituency (MAC) in West Karbi Anglong.
On the BJP front, candidate Amarsing Tisso has made development his central agenda, expressing assurance of victory with the highest margin. Tisso’s campaign has received support from chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and chief executive member (CEM) of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), Tuliram Ronghang, along with various MLAs, executive members, and MACs.
During campaign meetings, the BJP highlighted plans for the development of Ronghang Rongbong, the seat of Karbi traditional kings, into a model village, promising further progress under their governance.
The Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC), a regional party based in Karbi Anglong, has also initiated its campaigning efforts, with candidate Jotson Bey criticising both BJP and Congress governments for allegedly neglecting the interests of the Karbi people.
As the election landscape evolves, parties intensify their efforts to sway voters in West Karbi Anglong, awaiting the onset of campaigning by the Gana Suraksha Parishad (GSP).
