The BJP is Fighting Fire in Assam

The BJP’s task in Assam this time is cut out, given the castigation it has suffered over the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 (CAB). The task seems to be more uphill in view of the party’s declaration that if voted to power it would again introduce CAB, the rationale being that the proposed legislation would rather safeguard the indigenous interests of the State, not endanger them, given the hold of ‘Bangladeshi Muslims’ here. Interacting with party workers in Barpeta district on Sunday, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal asserted that the ruling alliance – BJP-AGP-BPF – would win 12 out of the 14 seats in the State, saying the people of the country have already decided to make Narendra Modi prime minister again. While Modi still remains the most popular choice to lead the country as all surveys have indicated, the fact vis-à-vis Assam is that the saffron surge of 2016, when the people of the State mandated the party for the first time in its history, is on a downward spiral due mainly to the anger of its people, the sons of the soil in particular, at the party’s State leadership’s inability to resist CAB or to convince the central leadership of the fears and insecurities of the people here in relation to illegal immigration from Bangladesh, this time pertaining to Bangladeshi Hindus. Whether the State BJP leadership has any concrete and convincing roadmap to allay such fears and replace the ambience of insecurities – and the consequent grudge and ire – this remains to be seen. But, needless to say, this is going to be a major determinant.

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