Know Your Constituency: Mangaldoi

Guwahati, April 12, 2019:

With the speculation of who will win the battle in the 8 No Mangaldoi Lok Sabha constituency in the Phase-II of Lok Sabha elections, let’s take a tour to the HPC with the view to feel the pulse of the locals of the region.

Eleven candidates are in the fray in this Lower Assam Constituency. Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candidate Dilip Saikia (BJP), Congress party veteran- Bhubaneswar Kalita; United People's Party-Liberal (UPPL) candidate Pradeep Kumar Daimari are considered the stronger candidates in this election.

It may be mentioned that the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodo People’s Front (BPF) did not field any candidate for the constituency.

It is believed that minority voters will play a major role in the Mangaldoi HPC in the ensuing elections.

Interacting with the locals has given this correspondent the impression that both the Congress and BJP have an equal chance of emerging victors in the contest for the throne. While it is believed that the BJP will be boosted by its allies AGP and BPF, the Congress will give a tough fight as the electors supporting the AIUDF will vote for the Congress.

Whereas, a section of young voters are clear with their decision to vote for the BJP claiming that its government has led many developmental plans and the region is progressing by leaps and bounds within a short span of time. All that is needed is time to proceed for further development.

Mangaldoi HPC by the numbers:

Total no. of male voters: 920,977

Total no. of female voters: 874,520

Third gender: 32

Total no. of voters: 1,795,529

Number of voters in 2014: 1,233,237

Assembly Constituencies in Mangaldoi HPC: Paneri, Udalguri (ST), Kalaigaon, Mazbat, Sipajhar, Dalgaon, Mangaldai (SC), Kamalpur, Rangiya, and Nalbari

Bookies’ choice: Too close to call