Neglected development, flood woes dominate poll mood in BTC's Nichima constituency

Bongaigaon, Sept 19: Local residents are ruing the fact that the Bodoland Territorial Council's (BTC's) Nichima constituency in Chirang District has been deprived of proper developmental work by successive Council governments.

The natives of Narayanpur, Rangijhora, Kunkrajhora, and Boldi villages had pinned their hopes on the previous BTC government led by the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) as well as the incumbent United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) government for construction of a bridge over the river Kanamakra for connectivity with Amguri, which is a small commercial hub in the constituency and comprises educational institutions as well. However, their expectation has not been fulfilled as yet.

Scattered, non-scientific, and unregulated stone and sand quarries beside the river Kanamakra have changed the main course of the river, due to which massive floods hit the riparian villages during the rainy season. The local villagers pointed out that the BTC government has failed to check this environmental hazard. They further alleged that no initiative has been taken by the incumbent BTC government to mitigate the human-elephant conflict in the constituency, especially in the northern forested parts near the river Kanamakra.

Meanwhile, many non-tribal settlers in the constituency have alleged that they have not been granted land titles despite several promises having been made by both the BPF and the UPPL before the previous BTC polls. They also said that due to corruption at the Village Council Development Committee (VCDC) level, they have been deprived of getting benefits of government schemes such as MGN-REGA, PMAY, Orunodoi, etc.

Even worse, lack of job opportunities and self-employment avenues in the constituency have reportedly pushed the youth to try and earn easy money, some villagers lamented.

Even though six candidates are contesting the poll to the Nichima constituency on September 22, the majority of local electors opined that the main fight is likely to be between James Basumatary of the BPF and Ranjit Basumatary of the UPPL.

As per a section of electors, Ranjit Basumatary, who is an incumbent executive member (EM) of the BTC from the UPPL, is a new face for them because he is a resident of another constituency. Moreover, the electors asserted that despite holding the forest portfolio in the BTC, he has failed to regulate stone and sand quarries and protect forest resources in the constituency.

James Basumatary is also an incumbent BTC member from the Opposition BPE Being an Opposition representative, he could not fulfil the aspirations of the people of the constituency, but he reportedly offered certain help to people in distress. As such, it is being surmised that he may receive the benefit of some public sympathy.

At the same time, around 14,000 religious minority voters of the Joypur area are likely to play a crucial role in deciding the outcome of the election to the Nichima constituency.

The total number of voters in the constituency is 46,475 (23,241 males and 23,234 females), while the number of polling stations is 52.