Jeraigaon (Dibrugarh): Regionalist sentiment remains strong in Jeraigaon, the native village of Ulfa-I chief Paresh Baruah in Assam’s Dibrugarh district, more than four decades after the separatist movement took root there. The villagers, who are primarily AGP supporters, are now openly campaigning for BJP candidate Binod Hazarika.AGP is an ally of BJP in Assam.Paresh Baruah’s elder brother Bimal Baruah, an AGP member and prominent villager, voiced disappointment that sitting AGP MLA Ponakan Baruah was denied a ticket from the Chabua-Lahowal constituency. He said the village is backing the NDA in the hope that the next govt will move to resolve the Ulfa-I issue.“We appeal to the political parties who are going to form the next govt, as well as Paresh Baruah, to find a permanent solution. As common citizens, we want a peaceful life. Because of the conflict, our Assamese youths are being killed,” he said.“I believe the Ulfa-I issue is the most important burning issue and the next govt must resolve it as the first priority,” he said.Bimal, a retired Army personnel, said the govt had failed to build trust and pointed to recent violence as a source of concern.“Reports of drone attack on Ulfa camps in Myanmar (last year) and recent attack on Assam police camp in Tinsukia both are a matter of concern. We neither want the death of our rebel youths nor police and Army personnel,” said Bimal.He warned that if the govt formed in May does not make sincere efforts to bring Paresh Baruah to the negotiating table and violence continues, people may begin looking for a political alternative.Family members said the Ulfa-I chief does not contact them to influence their political choices, but Bimal said the family stands for peace. He also spoke of the personal toll of the insurgency, saying one of his sons had joined Ulfa-I a few years ago and his whereabouts are now unknown.“Why did my son go to Ulfa-I? Why did he go? We never wanted to. We wanted him to do a good job,” said Bimal, adding that it is difficult to stop people from joining the outfit unless talks are held.Jeraigaon has long been associated with Assam’s regionalist politics. Apart from Paresh Baruah, Ulfa general secretary Anup Chetia, who has since joined the mainstream, also hails from the village and is related to him.Even as resentment lingers over the denial of a ticket to Ponakan Baruah, many in the village and the wider constituency expect he could be sent to the Rajya Sabha. For now, AGP workers in the area are campaigning for BJP candidate Binod Hazarika.Rupak Gohain, a young resident of Jeraigaon, said support for BJP was tactical rather than ideological. “AGP is our party, founded in our state, unlike BJP and Congress. For the time being, we are BJP since our candidate is from BJP. It’s not saffron surge but NDA surge,” said Rupak, who prefers farming at home over leaving for low-paying work elsewhere.Bimal also lamented AGP’s loss of the Chabua-Lahowal seat allocation.“It’s unfortunate that AGP couldn’t get Chabua Lahowal even as this party sacrificed a lot. The sitting AGP MLA should have got the tickets. Chabua has been the base of regionalism,” said Bimal rued.Pranjal Ghatowar is the Congress candidate from Chabua Lahowal.
