JOIN USWill the CAA end BJP's run in Assam?
Did the anti-CAA anger that spilled onto the streets of Assam in December 2019 turn into votes against BJP? Or did the developmental activities of the BJP-led government manage to convince the voters to give them a second term?
The results of the Assembly elections on Sunday is likely to bring the answer to such questions related to identity politics that dominated the poll campaigns.
The opposition Congress, which formed a "grand alliance" of seven parties including Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) — primarily to cash on the anti-CAA sentiments — believes that the controversial act would lead to BJP's debacle.
"People responded very well to our stand against the CAA and the other guarantees we gave. We are quite sure of defeating BJP and forming our government," Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president, Ripun Bora said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the party would scrap the CAA if it comes back to power as the act seeks to destroy Assamese identity by giving citizenship to migrants from Bangladesh who entered the country after 1971.
The ruling BJP, which is facing a major election after the violent anti-CAA agitation in 2019, however, claimed that the CAA was no longer an issue in the minds of people and they were happy with "historic" schemes like cash benefits to 22 lakh families, land documents to the indigenous people and their stand against "pro-Bangladeshi forces" like Ajmal. BJP formed its first government in Assam in 2016 by defeating the Congress.
The anti-CAA agitation that turned violent in 2019 saw the death of five persons in police firings and even BJP leaders became a target of the agitators.
The two new parties formed out of the anti-CAA agitation, Assam Jatiya Parishad, led by Lurin Jyoti Gogoi, a former AASU leader, and Raijor Dal, headed by Akhil Gogoi, claims that they would play spoilsport to BJP's target to retain power. "Neither BJP nor Congress-led alliance will get a majority. So in that situation, our MLAs will be crucial in forming the government," Lurinjyoti said.
Akhil is contesting elections from within judicial custody.