Independent Candidates With 10,000 plus votes playing critical role in Karimganj Lok Sabha

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been a mastermind in shifting electoral dynamics in favour of the BJP in the Northeast. He was the one who declared Karimganj as a tough fight during one of his visits to Silchar. As it turns out, his understanding of the constituency is spot on.

What was unique about Karimganj this year is the number of candidates and many of the independent candidates and their team, off the record, kept claiming that they have full support from the ruling party. Worth mentioning here that, Karimganj was a reserved seat that became unserved in the recent delimitation.

As it turns out, the independent candidates in Karimganj can make a big different. To explain this further, let’s break it down. There are 24 candidates in Karimganj contesting the elections. AIUDF candidate, till the data recorded at 2:00 pm has fetched 6,352 and NOTA has 761 votes cast its favour. Then Hafiz Rashid of Congress is at 1,46,343 votes in his favour and Kripanath Mallah has, 1,46,668 votes. The remaining 21 candidates, who are contesting on independent nomination, have fetched 10,582 votes which can be a deciding factor.

Majority of these 10,582 and AIDUF’s 6,352 votes would have otherwise gone in favour of the Congress party which the BJP anticipated earlier. If this strategy becomes the deciding factor, then good, bad or ugly, will definitely be a masterstroke, especially in a tight election where every seat matters.