The BJP-led alliance has come to power in Assam, riding on a strong wave. However, their real challenge starts now as they have to fulfill the promises they made
BJP supporters celebrate as their party occupies Dispur for the first time
It was nearing the end of May, but Diwali, it appeared, had arrived early in Hengerabari. As the counting of votes began in Assam early on the morning of 19th May, it soon became evident that the lotus was going to bloom in the State. As the day progressed and more results started coming in, affirming news of the BJP’s victory, party supporters erupted in celebration outside the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan. As the drumbeats and chants of ‘Axomor Ananda Sarbananda’, ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Narendra Modi ki Jai’ filled the air, I noticed a tired-looking old man dancing in wild abandon. Assuming he must be a party worker, I asked him what he thought about this emphatic victory. I learnt to my utter surprise, that he was just an ordinary citizen who had come there to celebrate the change which has embraced Assam. The call for change or poriborton, which had been the rallying cry of the BJP and its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), had obviously resonated with the people and was the catalyst behind the epic victory.. Dramatic Rise
Till 2014, BJP had been seen as a marginal political player in the State with negligible presence in most parts except Upper Assam.
In the 2011 Assembly polls , they had managed a meager 5 seats and a vote share of 12%. At that time, nobody would have dreamt that the BJP and its allies would get 87 seats in 2016, with the BJP alone accounting for 60 , translating to a twelve-fold increase in a mere five years!
This story is from the July 2016 edition of Eclectic Northeast.
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This story is from the July 2016 edition of Eclectic Northeast.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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