In 2021, Congress could win only five seats in the area. The BJP government has carried out a series of eviction drives from government and forest land, recovering about 1.5 lakh bighas from illegal possession. The state government had announced earlier that nearly 50,000 people were evicted in these drives. The names of several of them are in the voter list of two districts.
Assam’s voter list has also been pruned following the revision of electoral rolls.
BJP is banking heavily on Upper Assam to come back to power for a third consecutive term. It has dropped as many as 19 MLAs to boost its chances.
Congress has cobbled alliances with Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), and All-Party Hill Leaders Conference, besides the Assam Jatiya Parishad and Raijor Dal.
Raijor Dal and AJP have, over the last five years, built organisations across Upper Assam while the Left parties have their presence in some districts of Assam. A new entrant is the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), which has fielded 16 candidates.
Meanwhile, Congress’ influence over tribals and tea tribes of Upper Assam has waned over the last 10 years. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee Gaurav Gogoi is contesting from Jorhat, considered as the heart of Upper Assam. Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi is contesting from Sibsagar. In the last election, he had won from jail. The Khowang constituency features a mix of experienced political figures and independents. Lurinjyoti Gogoi, former general secretary of AASU and incumbent president of AJP, is a key contender. He faces competition from BJP MLA Chakradhar Gogoi.Independent candidates Prabhakar Das and Biju Dowarah are in fray too. In Duliajan, Congress has fielded Dhruba Gogoi while BJP candidate is Rameswar Teli, a former Union minister and parliamentarian. Former BJP leader Peter Minj is contesting as a JMM candidate.
Naharkatia seat will see a contest between Congress’ Pranati Phukan, BJP MLA Taranga Gogoi, Mohendra Dhadhumia of Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist), Sanjoy Bagh of JMM and independent candidate Michael Kujur.
