Guwahati: For Khumtai’s two-time BJP MLA Mrinal Saikia, planting a tree is no less sacred than offering prayers at a temple. Fortifying this conviction, Saikia planted a ‘jori’ sapling (ficus tinctoria) before filing his nomination papers, seeking a third consecutive term, symbolically prioritising ecological responsibility over ritual observance.Widely known for leading a green movement in his constituency over the last decade, he was joined by hundreds of volunteers, who have been planting trees across Khumtai constituency under his initiative. The volunteers wore a light green T-shirt with “Green Warrior Khumtai” printed on them.“The Green Warriors were not necessarily BJP supporters. They work with me to plant saplings and make Khumtai greener. Besides them, other party supporters joined the rally as well,” Saikia said.Saikia planted the ‘jori’ sapling outside his residence on Monday morning. On the selection of the plant species, he said, “Jori trees attract large numbers of birds as they offer abundant food and secure shelter throughout the year. Their fig fruits draw many frugivorous birds, including green pigeons, koels, barbets, orioles, bulbuls and parakeets. The dense canopy also supports insects, making it ideal for insect-eating birds like magpie-robins, sparrows, tailorbirds and mynas. With thick foliage that provides protection and nesting space, these trees become important gathering and breeding sites for diverse bird species.”“Planting a tree is equivalent to visiting a temple. So, I planted a jori plant as a sign of worship of nature and the earth,” he added.In a deliberate political message underscoring simplicity, accessibility, and grassroots connect, and amplifying his symbolic call for a greener Khumtai, Saikia and his supporters travelled on bicycles for 8 km from his home at Melamara to Salmara Tea Estate playground. Following that, they walked for about 12 km to submit his nomination at the district commissioner’s office.Saikia defeated the then Congress leader Bishmita Gogoi in 2021 polls by a margin of over 27,000 votes and by over 16,000 votes in 2016. Gogoi quit the Congress and joined BJP in 2024. Gogoi won the 2011 polls from the Khumtai constituency.This time, Saikia will fight the battle of ballots against Congress candidate Roselina Tirkey. The Congress candidate contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Kaziranga parliamentary constituency against BJP’s Kamakhya Prasad Tasa. She faced a defeat by over 2.448 lakh votes.
