Dholai by-polls: Amiya Das goes Independent after BJP exit; Nihar Ranjan Das files nomination
Das had resigned from the Saffron party, citing internal conflicts over the Dholai by-poll ticket, which was instead given to Nihar Ranjan Das.
Silchar, Oct 24: Just days after resigning from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Amiya Kanti Das filed his nominations as an independent candidate to contest in the by-elections from the Dholai LAC on Thursday.
While speaking to The Assam Tribune, Das stated, “With the blessings of the people, I filed the nomination for the betterment of my constituency. The people of Dholai are with me, and everything I do will be for the welfare of this constituency.”
Das had resigned from the Saffron party, citing internal conflicts over the Dholai by-poll ticket, which was instead given to Nihar Ranjan Das. The independent candidate accused MP Parimal Suklabaidya of favouritism after not receiving a ticket from the Dholai constituency.
“After my resignation, party members did try to persuade me to stay. But I had to make a decision that would benefit the Dholai constituency, so I resigned from the party,” Das said.
Earlier on October 20, approximately 300 BJP workers resigned in protest over the denial of a ticket to Amiya Kanti Das, who was the Cachar district BJP vice president. However, the senior leader stated that he never encouraged them to take such drastic action.
“I urged them not to resign but to support and strengthen my cause by remaining with the party. I am committed to working for the people of Dholai,” Das had said.
Das, who has served the party for over three decades, lamented that his contributions have been overlooked.
Meanwhile, Nihar Ranjan Das filed his nomination for the Dholai by-poll seat on Thursday. “There is no question of any rivalry with Congress or Amiya Kanti Das; we are confident of victory by a margin of over 40,000 to 50,000 votes,” said the BJP candidate.
Accompanying him to the nomination filing center was Tourism Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah, who expressed confidence that the BJP candidate would win by a significant majority and continue the development momentum in Dholai.
MLAs Kaushik Rai, Dipayan Chakraborty, and Mihir Kanti Shome, along with BJP district president Bimalendu Roy, also accompanied Das during the nomination filing.