'Dynastic politics' in focus with kin of MPs in fray in Assam bypolls

Guwahati: The issue of 'dynastic politics' has taken the centre-stage in Assam bye-elections with both the ruling alliance and the main opposition party fielding candidates from political families, and the parties engaging in a sparring match targeting each other over it.

If it is Barpeta MP Phani Bhusan Choudhury's wife Diptimayee contesting as ruling alliance candidate on an Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) ticket from Bongaigaon, opposition Congress has named its Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain's son Tanzil from Samaguri seat.

Besides Bongaigaon and Samaguri, bypolls are slated in Dholai, Sidli and Behali on November 13, with the Congress contesting all the five assembly segments and the BJP three, leaving one each for its allies AGP and UPPL.

The MPs from Barpeta and Dhubri were representing Bongaigaon and Samaguri respectively in the state assembly before making their Lok Sabha debut earlier this year.

Choudhury, a former minister, has the distinction of being the longest-serving MLA in the state, having represented his Bongaigaon constituency since 1985, while Hussain, also an ex-Congress minister, has been the Samaguri MLA for the last 23 years.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while campaigning for the ruling alliance briefly earlier this week after taking a break from his party duties in poll-bound Jharkhand, had slammed the Congress for nominating Tanzil, maintaining that dynastic politics of the opposition party is preventing talented youth from joining politics.

"We are not just fighting Congress, we are up against an entrenched and corrupt family-led club... Will anyone be able to tell who will be the MLA in Samaguri after Tanzil? It will obviously be his son. Only their children and grandchildren will be the next leaders," Sarma had said at an election rally.

He claimed that Samaguri has seen only dynastic politicians as first it was Nurul Hussain, former Congress minister, then his son Rakibul Hussain, who was also a minister, and now it is Tanzil, who is eyeing a seat in the assembly.

The BJP has nominated Diplu Ranjan Sarma, a state party general secretary and former president of the state youth wing, from Samaguri.

The Congress has also accused the BJP for promoting dynastic politics, right from its national level, while also pointing to putting up Diptimayee Choudhury from Bongaigaon by the saffron party's ally AGP.

Leader of the opposition in the state assembly, Debabrata Saikia, countering the chief minister, had claimed that there are at least 30 top BJP leaders, including current Union ministers, with direct political lineage.

Saikia, who is the son of former chief minister late Hiteswar Saikia, had maintained that a party cannot impose any leader on the public, and it is finally on the voters to accept or reject them.

Congress spokesperson Bedabrata Bora questioned AGP fielding the 64-year-old retired school teacher Diptimayee from Bongaigaon.

"Had the candidate been Choudhury's son or someone from new generation, public could have still taken it into consideration. But we have never seen Diptimayee Choudhury in public life all these years. What will she contribute to public life now?" he asked.

The Congress has put up a retired government employee Brajenjit Singha from Bongaigaon constituency.