Katlicherra: Contrasting fortunes hang on the cards for a senior Congress minister and his son, who are contesting as the ruling party's nominees in twin constituencies of Katlicherra and Algapur in Assam's Barak valley that goes to the polls in the first phase on April 4.
Sitting MLA Gautam Roy, who will be seeking to enter the assembly for a record sixth term, is expecting a cakewalk with no serious opponents for Katlicherra seat in Hailakandi district, political observers said.
However, his son and sitting MLA, Rahul Roy, has been facing a tough challenge from veteran Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader and former minister Sahidul Alam Choudhury, who is exuding confidence that he is going to win.
Gautam Roy has AGP's Nazrul Haque Mazarbhuyan as the only serious opponent among the 12 candidates in the fray.
"I am not bothering (about winning) as it is a foregone conclusion. Look at the development including that of road communication. The rest will be said by the people," he said.
"The people of the constituency are proud that Roy is an influential politician in Dispur (state capital) as it is very rare that people from Bengali-dominated Barak Valley gets importance there," Deepa, a student who will be voting for the first time, said.
In contrast Rahul Roy is finding the going tough in Algapur where he is pitted against Choudhury, an experienced campaigner. Having a dominant Muslim population of 53 per cent in this constituency bordering Bangladesh, he is the only person from the community and hopes to gather a major chunk of the minority votes.
Choudhury has also persuaded All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), a Muslim-dominated party, not to put up a candidate, observers said, adding that this could pose difficulties for Roy.
"With the blessing of my father and faith on the voters, I hope to regain the seat," the young MLA, who has made development and stability as his major poll plank, said. Choudhury, who was representing the constituency prior to Roy, is hoping that he will win this time around.
"Apart from the community factor, my opponent's non-performance will help in my favour," Choudhury, a panchayat and rural development minister in the former AGP regime, said.
In Hailakandi assembly seat, sitting AIUDF candidate Salimuddin Borbhuyan will have to face tough challenge from Congress veteran and prominent lawyer Abdul Muhib Majumdar.
Majumdar, a former minister, hopes that the anti-incumbency fever generated in the constituency will go in his favour. "The sitting MLA has provided nothing to the people of this remote and under-developed constituency," he said.
Hailakandi district has a total of 537 booths of which 225 are hyper sensitive and 61 sensitive.
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