Some of the interior regions in politically sensitive Garo Hills had once been famous for militancy, but insurgency lost its base in 2016-17 when the demonetisation of high-value currency notes was announced. Local BJP leaders say this brought in a tremendous shortfall in the kidnapping. Ultimately all these will help BJP garner more votes at the February 27 polls.
The Garo hills are the hub of Garo tribals and have 24 seats in the 60-member state assembly. The BJP is confident of doing well. The optimism is based on solid feedback from rural areas.
Generally speaking, it appears to be a triangular contest between BJP, NPP and Trinamool Congress. But the voters also say except BJP, all others are tested.Thus clamour for change among voters puts saffron party candidates at a huge advantage.
According to many villagers, men and women who have gathered at the residence of BJP candidate Sengnab Momin at Mendipathar, they are focused and only want development and growth.
Many say when the neighbouring state Assam under the leadership of former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and incumbent Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has benefited, why they should continue to be development starved in the name preferring regional party NPP or even a party like Trinamool Congress which has come from another State.
The Mamata Banerjee-led outfit has been given the tag of ‘Bengali party’, which has created a huge handicap for former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, who is the Trinamool face in the state.
“People are now filled with aspirations in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi”, says one farmer, 28-year-old Mike Marak. Holding four large-size cabbages, one each of 2 and a half kg, he says, “we have plenty in the fields but no proper channel to market them.”
“I am just class 10 pass, but I think Garo people should vote for the BJP third time to make optimum use of the “double engine” Government”. Several others agree with him. One refrain is through triangular contests; generally, the BJP truly fits in the scheme of things for a change. While NPP Chief Conrad Sangma is the incumbent Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma is a former Congress stalwart and has led the government more than once.
At the neighbouring assembly segment Resubelpara, BJP candidate Sukharam Sangma is enthusiastic.The local costumes women have put aptly display the ancestral lineage. Even the design of shawls and waistcoats denotes the wearer’s social status.
He shakes hands with most visitors, men and women and readily poses for selfies with several admirers. His wife joins the event playing a hostess, and cracks jokes. Tea and boiled fish curry rice are offered to visitors. The door-to-door campaign is on, and the exercise starts in the afternoon and goes till late evening.
With Home Minister Amit Shah’s rallies planned for February 17, BJP leaders say the campaign will pick up further. Several other central leaders will also arrive. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally could be on February 23-24.
On February 12, in their respective campaign meetings, both BJP candidates Sukharam Sangma and Momin came down heavily on the NPP leadership for not delivering in the last five years. Occasionally, they slammed Trinamool Congress and the Congress, saying that they were both facing existential crises.
The BJP candidates and others give details of the development initiatives the BJP Government took.Momin cited the examples of Assam and Tripura and said that the states that had once been famous for militancy and strikes were now known for development and growth in the entire country.
On raising issues such as Christianity and Hindutva conflict, many voters simply do not buy political allegations of the BJP being Anti-Christians.
“If Christianity could survive under communist rule in Kerala and Tripura, it can survive under the BJP and Narendra Modi,” said Namey Caroline, a village-level first-generation entrepreneur.
Another booth-level BJP worker at Resubelpara said, “Just because opponents have nothing to say about the BJP as PM Modi is determined to tackle corruption and other issues successfully, they raise this religious issue only to spread differences amongst the people”.
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