Guwahati, April 2 (IANS) Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita on Thursday expressed confidence that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will wrest the Nazira Assembly seat in the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, asserting that Congress leader Debabrata Saikia is set to lose this time.

Campaigning for BJP candidate Mayur Borgohain in Nazira, Margherita claimed that the mood on the ground has shifted in favour of the ruling party.

He said voters in the constituency are keen to align with the government to accelerate development and ensure better opportunities.

“The people of Nazira now want to be with the government. They are looking forward to development and progress, and this time they will vote for change,” Margherita said, adding that the BJP is receiving strong support across the constituency.

Nazira has traditionally been a Congress bastion.

In the 2016 Assembly elections, senior Congress leader Debabrata Saikia retained the seat with a comfortable margin, even as the BJP came to power in the state.

He repeated his victory in the 2021 polls, once again defeating BJP rivals and consolidating his position as a key Congress figure in Upper Assam.

Debabrata Saikia, a prominent Congress leader in Assam, currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly.

Known for his organisational strength and grassroots connect, Saikia has been instrumental in keeping the Congress relevant in Upper Assam despite the BJP’s growing dominance in the region.

He also carries forward a significant political legacy as the son of former Assam Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia.

The late leader was a towering figure in Assam politics, serving multiple terms as Chief Minister and playing a crucial role in shaping the state’s political landscape during a turbulent period.

Despite this legacy and past electoral success, the BJP believes anti-incumbency and a strong development narrative could tilt the balance in its favour in Nazira this time, setting the stage for a keen contest in the April 9 polls.

–IANS

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