Guwahati: The CPI(M) hoped to win one Lok Sabha seat in Assam where it has put up three candidates, party Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said today. “We have a very good chance to win the Barpeta seat. Our performance in the state is going to be better this time,” Yechury told PTI here.
Asked about opinion polls predicting Congress increasing its last election tally of seven seats in the state, Yechury said “The veracity of opinion polls are always a question mark. The way we have a phenomenon called paid news, we also have a phenomenon called paid opinion polls.” The voters were likely to vote against the Congress due to an anti-incumbency factor and BJP would also not be able to make much impact on voters in Assam, he claimed.
“Apart from Congress and BJP, it is uncertain who will get support. AIUDF is the second largest party in state Assembly, but they are not sure how people will take them for the Lok Sabha polls. Likewise, AGP is also not sure,” the CPI (M) Rajya Sabha member said.
Former MP and CPI(M) Assam unit Secretary Uddhab Barman would contest from the Barpeta seat against sitting Congress MP Ismail Hussain and Asom Gana Parishad MLA Phani Bhusan Choudhury.
Speaking about the other two candidates, Khemraj Chetry and Rejamond Ali Borbhuyan from Tezpur and Silchar respectively, he said they would put up a good fight. The party would also support CPI's Dhrupad Bargohain for the Jorhat seat.
“Our party was badly hit during the Assam Agitation (1979-1985). We are still overcoming it as it has become an inherent problem. However, this time our call for an alternative government is getting a good response in the state,” Yechury added.
