Uday Shankar Hazarika: BJP Turncoat; Aiming For A First Win In Fourth Attempt From Lakhimpur (image:facebook.com/udayshankar.hazarika/)
Uday Shankar Hazarika left the ruling BJP and joined Congress a few months ago. In the forthcoming elections, he will be contesting from the Lakhimpur parliamentary constituency in Assam.
One of the strong contenders for the Lakhimpur constituency was senior Congress leader and three-time former MP Ranee Narah. However, Congress picked Uday Shankar Hazarika, the newbie in the grand old party, as their nominee. Hazarika is reportedly close to Congress state chief Bhupen Kumar Bora.
In the Lok Sabha polls, he will be pitted against sitting MP and BJP close rival Pradan Baruah. In the 2019 elections, Pradan Baruah won the seat by defeating Congress candidate Anil Borgohain by a margin of 3,50,551 votes. Prior to this, when a by-election was conducted in 2016, Pradan Baruah secured victory. Baruah is looking for hattrick in the upcoming elections.
Uday Shankar Hazarika has been associated with the BJP for a long time. He contested unsuccessfully from Lakhimpur on a BJP ticket three times, in the years 1998, 1999, and 2004. So he is aiming for the first win in the fourth attempt from Lakhimpur constituency. The 64-year-old hopes that his long years of experience in politics and strong local connections will work in his favour in trouncing Pradan Baruah.
As Uday Shankar Hazarika started hitting election campaigns, he addressed the issues of constituency to the people and pledged to solve them if he came to power. “I have spent years working in Lakhimpur and I am familiar with the challenges that people face here. I have seen them struggle through flood and erosion and poor poor road communication. The people of Lakhimpur constituency deserve a leader who will fight for their rights and work towards their welfare. I believe it is time for a change. If elected, I will work tirelessly to address the needs and concerns of the people,” the Times of India quotes, as Uday Shankar Hazarika is saying.
