Fate of Patharkandi without Kartik Sena Sinha

News & Views

By RK Rishikesh Sinha

Kartik Sena Sinha

Kartik Sena Sinha, the sitting Patharkandi MLA, has been denied ticket by the major political parties in the ensuing Assam legislative assembly election. The ruling party Congress has chosen Monilal Gowala, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Sukhendu Shekhar Dutta, the Trinamool Congress — Rupam Nandi Purkayastha, and the Asom Gana Parishad — Md Mainul Haque. The AIUDF is yet to declare the name for the Patharkandi constituency.

What happened really in his five-year tenure as an MLA in the political weather of the Assam state in general and in particular in the Patharkandi constituency, that he has not been handpicked by any party? What is the political arithmetic that decides choosing of candidates from this constituency? Now when Kartik Sena Sinha has been shown the exit door by every party, ultimately who will win from the fray of contestants? Is it the end of Kartik’s political career? Will he contest as an independent candidate? These are some of the questions that are making rounds among the people. However, the answers to these questions might be lying somewhere.

Going down to the political history of the constituency, since 1985 — Congress and BJP — are the only two major parties that have claimed their stake. Twice (in 1985 and in 2001 assembly election) Monilal Goswami from Congress have won from this constituency. In 1991, 1996, and in 2006 it went to BJP (1991 — Madhusudan Tewari; 1996 — Sukhendu Shekhar Dutta; 2006 — Kartik Sena Sinha). Besides BJP and Congress, AIUDF has come out as a major party in the constituency. Kartik Sena Sinha defeated K.M. Baharul Islam of AIUDF in 2006 polls.

In five years, Kartik has become an eyesore to BJP for not being toeing party’s diktat; even Congress sidelined him despite showing his allegiance to the party; however Trinamool Congress decision to give tickets to dropped MLAs also didn’t come to his support. What has happened that any party is not extending its hand to Kartik? If one goes by people’s views, they smell that a powerful anti-Kartik lobby is working hard, weaving a political chakravuyi around him, and finally expecting his ouster from the Assam political landscape.

Kartik Sena Sinha’s contribution to the development of Patharkandi is exemplary and outstanding. In his tenure, people from this constituency saw full throttle progress in welfare and well being of all sections of people irrespective of their caste and community. The million dollar question is — will people of Patharkandi support him now? Are you in his support?

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