GUWAHATI: Romen Chandra Borthakur isn’t a new name in the political circles in Assam. He started as the Dibrugarh district general secretary of All Assam Students’ Union, and later served as a leader of Asom Gana Parishad until 2001.
But this time, he is in focus because he is the Congress candidate against BJP’s most high-profile candidate — literally its face in the northeast — Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Sarma, who has won from Jalukbari four times, is eyeing a fifth consecutive win. The BJP heavyweight has conducted a high-voltage campaign across the state this time, leaving his wife to fill in for him in his home turf.
But a 48-hour ban (toned down to 24 hours on Saturday) imposed on him by the Election Commission on Friday put a stop to any plan of going to his constituency.
So, on Saturday, it was Riniki Bhuyan Sarma who campaigned for her husband once again. At Changsari, she urged the people to make him win by a record margin. In 2016, Sarma had defeated Congress’s Niren Deka by nearly 86,000 votes.
But Borthakur believes he has a chance. “Apart from Congress’s five guarantees, I have my own manifesto. A lot has to be done in Jalukbari — from rural roads to land pattas. It isn’t the most developed constituency in the country as claimed by the minister.”
He is committed to protect and promote the textile heritage of Sualkuchi. The weavers there were among the worst-hit by the lockdown and soaring prices of yarn last year.
He has other priorities too, like sorting out the land rights issue in the urban pockets of Pandu and Amingaon. “Just before elections, many poor families get eviction notices and are swayed by influential politicians,” Borthakur said.
Improving rural infrastructure, supplying piped water are some of his other priorities. “Even people living around Kamakhya Temple don’t get piped water on time.
The rural parts of Jalukbari desperately need village infrastructure development. Adequate cold storage is needed to preserve agricultural produce in the Bezera-Mandakata area.”
Borthakur knows defeating Sarma in Jalukbari is an uphill task. But he believes the Congress still has people who haven’t switched sides like Sarma. Just one victory can make his political career.