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Journalists are seldom the main actors successful a canvass drama. Assam’s 2026 mandate has brought 1 of them, killed 35 years ago, to the fore.
The electoral destiny of respective erstwhile journalists volition beryllium decided connected April 9, including Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), contesting from Bhowanipur-Sorbhog, and erstwhile MP Abdul Khaleque, the Congress campaigner from Mandia.
However, nary has drawn arsenic overmuch attraction arsenic Kamala Saikia, a teacher-journalist from Sivasagar. He was killed successful August 1991 by the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), 4 years aft the radical murdered writer Punarmal Agarawal successful Kampur.
Saikia was dragged retired of his residence successful Sivasagar’s Melachakar country and killed for allegedly penning against the ULFA. His body, with immoderate fingers chopped off, was dumped adjacent the Amguri constabulary station.
Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, contesting to clasp the Sibsagar seat, has repeatedly accused his BJP rival Kushal Duwari of engagement successful Saikia’s killing, citing his past arsenic a ULFA country commander.
“Everybody successful Sivasagar knows helium killed Kamala Saikia. He besides killed galore others, including Bijit Dutta, whose eyes were gouged out. I entreaty to the radical of Sivasagar to prevention the constituency from a murderer,” Mr. Gogoi said.
“Can anyone spell to an elected murderer with immoderate plea? Chances are you volition beryllium shot. You whitethorn not ballot for me, but for god’s sake, don’t ballot for a murderer,” helium said during 1 of his run rallies.
Mr. Duwari, a erstwhile MLA who represented the delimitation-devoured Thowra constituency, denied sidesplitting Saikia. “The ULFA admitted that it killed him, and determination were galore members of the radical astatine that time. How could person Kushal Duwari killed him? He was not my enemy,” helium said.
The BJP campaigner slammed Mr. Gogoi for maligning his image.
State BJP spokesperson and advocator Jayanta Kumar Goswami, defended Mr. Duwari, who was sentenced to 2 years successful situation with different ULFA member-turned-MLA, Jiten Gogoi, for sportfishing successful Kaziranga National Park illegally successful 2009.
“An investigation of Mr. Duwari’s affidavit shows helium has 4 cases against him, and each these were based connected suspicion. On the different hand, Akhil Gogoi has 21 cases against him moving into 11 pages, and immoderate of these are serious,” helium said.
Mr. Duwari’s candidature was marked by last-minute drama. The BJP fielded him minutes earlier the deadline for filing nominations, though the enactment had agreed to permission the spot to its ally, Asom Gana Parishad, which had already nominated the seasoned Prodip Hazarika.
Mr. Duwari and Mr. Hazarika, who won the 2021 polls from the now-defunct Amguri constituency, are locked successful a “friendly fight” with Mr. Gogoi being their communal adversary. Also successful the fray are Tapan Gogoi of the Aam Aadmi Party and 4 Independents.
Mr. Duwari is 1 of astatine slightest 4 erstwhile ULFA leaders contesting the April 9 elections. The others are BJP legislators Bhaskar Sharma (Margherita) and Mrinal Saikia, and Naba Kumar Sarania (Gana Suraksha Party, Bijni).
