BJP eyes 11 of 13 Barak seats, CM to lead last leg of campaign from today

Guwahati/Silchar: Ahead of the last final leg of the BJP and NDA campaign for the Assam assembly election campaign, which will begin Monday, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma attended a closed-door meeting with party leaders and candidates in Silchar on Sunday.Exuding confidence, Sarma said BJP and its ally Asom Gana Parishad are poised to win 11 of the 13 assembly seats in Barak Valley. “We will win 10 out of the 13 seats, and our alliance partner AGP may secure Sonai, taking the tally to 11,” Sarma told reporters after the meeting.Earlier in the day, Sarma held a series of meetings in Haflong with apex tribal bodies of Dima Hasao, executive members of NCHAC and BJP district functionaries.

He said the number of seats in the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) will be increased to 40 from 28, if the BJP-led govt returned to power.Sarma added that the move will be aimed at ensuring wider representation of all tribal communities in the hill council.Looking to consolidate BJP’s prospects, Sarma’s outreach to the tribal communities comes amid internal discord in the party’s district unit following nomination of new face Rupali Langthasa instead of sitting MLA and minister Nandita Gorlosa.

The CM also said, if elected, the govt will move ahead with the bifurcation of Dima Hasao, a long-pending demand of several non-Dimasa groups. The Indigenous Peoples’ Forum (IPF), a conglomerate of Biete, Hmar, Kuki, Karbi, Vaiphei, Zeme Naga, Khelma and other communities, has been spearheading the demand for bifurcation, citing provisions under the Sixth Schedule.On Monday, Sarma will take part in a mammoth Jan Ashirwad Yatra in his home constituency, Jalukbari, kicking off the last phase BJP’s campaingn ahead of polls.On Tuesday, he will participate in another rally and a mega roadshow in the Bhawanipur-Sorbhog constituency in lower Assam, backing senior BJP leader Ranjeet Kumar Dass in a CPM stronghold. On Wednesday and Thursday, the CM will address Vijay Sankalp Sabhas in Hojai, Lumding, and Nagaon in central Assam, followed by multiple similar events in Golakganj, Abhayapuri, Barpeta, and Bajali in lower Assam.“My Jalukbari fam, I will see you all tomorrow during the #JanaAshirwadYatra, which will pass through the constituency and seek your blessings as I get ready to represent your aspirations for the 6th consecutive time,” Sarma wrote on his X handle on Sunday.“I seek the blessings of our people as I cover 9 constituencies over the next 4 days through our Jana Ashirwad Yatra and Vijay Sankalp Sabha. Join us and show your love as we continue on our path of Seva and Samarpan,” he added.Sarma said the BJP-led alliance has the potential to win 104 of the 126 Assembly seats. “On how many seats we will win, I will be able to know when my rallies start,” Sarma said.