Guwahati, Sep 23 (IANS): Assam Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Dilip Saikia on Wednesday claimed that remarks by Congress MP Rakibul Hussain against the party’s Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll candidate Debashish Sharma could benefit the BJP, asserting that around 10,000 votes from the minority community could shift towards the party.
Saikia made the remarks while addressing a BJP workers’ convention at Juria in Nagaon’s Rupohihat locality as the party intensified its campaign for the October 6 Lok Sabha by-election. He made the statement in the context of the ongoing political contest, reflecting the BJP leader’s assessment of voter response.
“Whenever Rakibul Hussain says something against BJP candidate Debashish Sharma, around 10,000 votes from the minority community automatically move towards the BJP,” Saikia said.
Around 500 BJP workers from different organisational Mandals in Rupohihat attended the meeting, which focused on campaign planning and strengthening the party’s organisational machinery ahead of polling. Senior BJP leaders at the gathering highlighted the state government’s development initiatives and sought greater support for Sharma.
Barhampur MLA Jitu Goswami, Nagaon district BJP president Subarna Singh, BJP leader Suresh Bora and other district-level office-bearers and party workers attended the meeting.
The Nagaon Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigned from the Lok Sabha and subsequently won the Dispur Assembly seat on a BJP ticket. The BJP has fielded former Nagaon Deputy Commissioner Debashish Sharma, who took voluntary retirement from the IAS on September 3 and joined the party shortly afterwards.
The Congress has nominated former Batadroba MLA Sibamoni Bora, while AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal is also contesting the bypoll. The nominations of Sharma, Bora and Ajmal were among those found valid during scrutiny.
The bypoll is scheduled for October 6, with vote counting set for October 9. Saikia’s remarks come amid an increasingly active campaign in the constituency, with the BJP, Congress and AIUDF mobilising their organisational networks across Nagaon.
The BJP leadership has been seeking to consolidate support for Sharma, while rival parties are campaigning on issues including governance, development and local concerns. The contest has also seen sharp exchanges between leaders of the major political parties as campaigning gathers pace.
