News Brief
After Dismal Performance In Muslim-Dominated Areas, BJP's Assam Unit Dissolves Its Minority Cell
Swarajya Staff
May 06, 2021, 01:59 PM | Updated 01:59 PM IST
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The Assam unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has disbanded its minority cell after party's dismal performance in in the seats dominated by the Muslims in the recently-held Assembly elections in the state.
While BJP and its allies in Assam comfortably crossed the majority mark of 64 seats in the polls, the party lost in the Muslim seats by large margins.
"The party got far fewer votes in those areas than we expected. Even members of booth committees did not vote for BJP - so there is no need to continue with such non-cooperation," state BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass was quoted by Times of India as saying.
According to the report, BJP had been aiming to win at least seven seats where migrant Muslim population is in the majority. The party fielded its candidates from seven Muslim-majority seats including Jania, Jaleswar, Baghbar, Salmara South and Bilasipara West constituencies of Lower Assam, Laharighat and Rupohihat in central Assam and Sonai in the Barak Valley.
The party adopted a focused strategy, including holding booth-level public meetings, to woo the voters in such constituencies.
However, Congress and AIUDF combine reportedly played the CAA-NRC card, which polarised the voters in these constituencies.
Meanwhile, BJP ally AGP contested in three Muslim-majority seats - Chenga, Dalgaon and Jamunamukh - but it too lost by large margins.
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