Political Heat Intensifies in Dholai Ahead of Bye-Elections: Congress Pushes for Anup Roy's Candidacy

The political landscape in the Dholai Assembly constituency of Cachar district is witnessing a surge in activity as the upcoming by-elections draw near. Despite the Election Commission’s delay in announcing the official dates, political parties are already in full swing, particularly in the five constituencies of Assam where the by-elections are slated to be held. Among these, Dholai stands out as a critical battleground, where the political temperature is rising.

Traditionally recognized as a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the bastion of Silchar MP Parimal Suklabaidya, Dholai is now the focal point of Congress’s renewed efforts. There has been a brief tug of war between BJP’s Parimal Suklabaidya and Congress’s Girindra Mallik for the Dholai seat, with Suklabaidya winning 5 terms from this Assembly Constituency with his first win in 1991. Congress’s Girindra Mallik has won terms, first in 1996 and again in 2011. In the last Assembly elections in 2021, Parimal Suklabadiya won with 55.03% votes against Congress’s Kamakhya Prasad Mala.

While the leader is unclear from the BJP as the responsibility lies with Suklabaidya to find a suitable candidate, multiple contenders are vying for the Congress ticket, with the party’s local workers rallying behind a single name—Anup Roy. The youth leader has garnered significant support, with Congress workers organizing public meetings to advocate for his nomination.

In these gatherings, the message from the Dholai Congress workers is clear: if the party intends to reclaim Dholai from the BJP, Anup Roy is their best chance. A spokesperson from the Dholai Congress underscored the significance of fielding a local candidate, stating, “In the past, we have seen other candidates from Congress being elected to the Assembly, but none could effectively raise the demands of the Dholai constituency. That is why we have nominated Anup Roy, a local youth leader, for the seat. Our preference is for a local candidate, and we believe if he gets the ticket, Congress is sure to win from Dholai and recover it from BJP’s hold.”

The spokesperson further emphasized the importance of local representation, noting that past Congress candidates had failed to effectively voice the concerns of Dholai’s residents in the Assembly. “We will support whoever the high command decides as the suitable candidate,” the spokesperson added, “but as locals of this area, we request the high command to give the ticket to Anup Roy. His local roots and understanding of Dholai’s issues make him the most suitable candidate.”

As the by-elections approach, all eyes will be on Dholai, where the battle for political dominance is poised to be fiercely contested. Whether the Congress can wrest control from the BJP in this key constituency remains to be seen.