GUWAHATI: Jorhat is the 12th Lok Sabha constituency in Assam and is one of the key constituencies for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the State.
Two communities, the Ahoms and the Tea tribes have played a major role in electing the next Member of Parliament from this constituency.
Congress has always had a strong presence in this constituency for decades. The Party had won the Lok Sabha elections from here at least 12 times. It lost once to Asom Gana Parishad's (AGP) Parag Chaliha in 1984 and then again to BJP's Kamakhya Prasad Tasa in 2014.
Even Former Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi won the seat twice in 1971 and 1977.
In an interesting turnaround, during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, veteran Congress leader, late Bijoy Krishna Handique won the seat against Tasa with a vote margin of 290, 406 and the tables turned and how, during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections where Kamakhya Prasad Tasa defeated Handique with a margin of 102, 420 votes.
After Bijoy Krishna Handique passed away in 2015, questions arose regarding who the party would field for the seat for the next elections.
Last month, the Congress Election Committee announced that former Thowra MLA, Sushanta Borgohain would be contesting for the poll. Although veteran leader and Former Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi was not in favour of Borghain as Lok Sabha candidate from Jorhat, the party still decided to go with him.
While it was expected that sitting MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa would be contesting to retain the seat, BJP high command decided to field Assam Power Minister and Sonari MLA, Topon Kumar Gogoi for the seat.
Both the candidates have filed their nominations and we will have to wait and see who the people choose as their next MP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
CONSTITUENCY DETAILS:
DAY OF POLLING: 11TH APRIL
POLLING STATIONS: 1753
TOTAL VOTERS: 1,433,900
MALE VOTERS: 729,239
FEMALE VOTERS: 704,661
TOTAL ASSEMBLIES: 10
JORHAT, TITABAR, MARIANI, TEOK, AMGURI, NAZIRA, MAHMARA, SONARI, THOWRA, SIBSAGAR