MUSLIM VOTES MATTER, BJP HAS EDGE IN 5 SEATS

5 Assam constituencies - Karimganj, Silchar, Nagaon, Darrang- Udalguri and Diphu - will go to Lok Sabha elections on April 26

- PRASANTA MAZUMDAR

THE spotlight will be on the Muslim voters when Assam goes to the polls in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 26.

People of five constituencies such as Karimganj, Silchar (both in southern Assam's Bengali-majority Barak Valley), Nagaon, Darrang-Udalguri and Diphu are set to exercise their franchise. Nagaon is held by the Congress while the others are under the BJP.

Barring Diphu which is reserved for Scheduled Tribes, the others have sizeable Bengali-speaking Muslim populations. Bengali Hindus also have a large number of voters in Silchar and Karimganj seats.

While Karimganj leads with over 55.7% Muslim voters, Silchar has less than 40%, Nagaon 58%, and DarrangUdalguri about 40%. Several Muslim-majority Assembly segments, which were parts of erstwhile Kaliabor (now Kaziranga) parliamentary seat, were added to the Nagaon seat following last year's delimitation exercise, thereby substantially increasing the number of its Muslim voters.