DIBRUGARH UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

HOME ASSIGNMENT
ON
“CHANGING DYNAMICS OF VOTING IN
ASSAM:
THE CASE OF 17TH LOKSHBHA ELECTION
2019 IN KALIABAR CONSTITUENCY”

Submitted to:-
Dr. Borun Dey
Assistant Professor
Department Of Political Science

Submitted by:-
Mohendra Saikia
M.A 1st Semester
Roll No:17
Department of Political Science
Introduction:
Kaliabor is a Lok Sabha / Parliamentary constituency in of Assam.
There is 10 legislative assembly segments in this constituency.
Golaghat, Dergaon, Bokakhat, Samuguri, Kaliabar, Dhing, Batadrba,
Rupohihat, Sarupathar and Khumtai.
The Kaliabor Lok Sabha Constituency in the state of Assam is
currently held by Gaurav Gogoi of the Indian National Congress
(INC). In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Gogoi beat Moni Madhab
Mahanta of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) by receiving 55.18% of
the votes cast in this constituency.
Kaliabor is one of the 14 constituencies of Assam. In the 2019 Lok
Sabha elections, Kaliabor went to the polls on April 11, 2019, in
Phase 1, It saw 82.09% of its registered electors turning out to vote,
against 80.01% in the previous national elections held in 2014.
Gaurav Gogoi defeated his nearest rival, Moni Madhab Mahanta, by a
margin of 209994 votes. While Gogoi received 55.18 votes, runner-
up Moni Madhab Mahanta polled 40.44 votes.

Changing Dynamics of voting in Assam ; special

references to kaliabar:
Kaliabar Lokshabha Constituency is one of those constituency that
was highly focused in 2019 Lokshbha election. From the 1999 to
2014, this seat has been continuously winning by Indian National
Congress. So it was a tough challenge to Bhartiya Janata Party to
ensure its victory.

When the whole India was waving in Modi wave, It was Kaliabar
constituency which could not so much influenced by the wave.
Bhartiya Janata Party and Asom Gano Parishad allainced together,
and fielded AGP candidate Moni Madhab Mahanta as alliance
supported candidate. On the other hand, there was Gaurav Gogoi,
previous Mp from Kaliabar Constituency and son of ex Chief
minister Tarun gogoi. Amit Shah came to campaign for Moni Madhab
Mahanta, But It could not ensure its victory and again for the
continuously seven times, Congress Party got Victory.

Kaliabor is a Congress stronghold, The constituency came into

existence in 1967 and Bedabrata Barua of Congress won the first
three times. Even during the 2014 Modi wave, Gaurav Gogoi Gogoi
won from this seat by over 90 thousand votes. Earlier Tarun Gogoi
winning thrice and his brother Dip Gogoi also emerging victorious
thrice. So this constituency highly favored to INC.

There is a tremendous difference between 2014 and 2019.

2014 election can be classified as an election of false hopes by Modi.
Where many false promises were given to the people so that there
vote were stolen and their trust were betreyd. Wheather it in case of
job, wheather it in case of 15 lakhs , wheather it in case of improving
rural economy and farmer income. All statics show that situation in
these last five years have taken a turn to the worst. Which effected
the voters very much.

Like many other Assam seats, there are a significant

percentage of 'tea voters' in Kaliabor too. Congress traditionally had
enjoyed a complete dominance among this section of voters. That
has resulted in Congress winning Kaliabor.BJP had tried its best to
wean away tea plantation workers, but congress somehow able to
manage the tea tribes especially in Gamari, Kamarbandha.
 Many BJP workers were unhappy with the seat going to AGP,
whose clout has considerably decreased in Kaliabor. Also, there
were around 30% of Muslim voters in the constituency. With
AIUDUF opted out from contesting in Kaliabor, Congress got king's
share of this minority vote.

Another key factor that influenced the voter is Citizenship

Amendment Bill. When BJP government introduced the bill in
Lokshbha, there emerged a strong protest against the bill as well as
the government not only in Assam, but also in whole NorthEast.
Even in many places this protest turned into violence. First AGP was
also against the bill and criticizing it during the time of Panchyat
election. But after 2 months they aliened with the same BJP. Its
reflected the selfishness of AGP. Which influenced the voters, mainly
youths very much to vote against BJP as well as AGP .

Another important factor that influenced the voter is in 2018

Gaurav Gogoi have awarded the Best Parliamentarian Award ,
Gaurav Gogoi has selected along with 25 Lok Sabha members from
across the country belonging to different categories.This award gave
on the performance, popularity, behavior towards the public of their
constituencies, social contribution, connectivity with the masses,
work strategy and Implementation of policies, persolity,
participation in arguments, private bill, question raised in the
Parliament and attendance in Parliament among other aspects of the
MPs of the Lok Sabha Sabha to determine the winners.
CONCLUSION:
Thus we can see how the various factors influenced the voters in
kaliabar constituency in 2019 Lokshbha election. In 2019 election,
BJP won almost all over the India. In kaliabar, BJP tried their best.
They desperately wnted victory in that seat .But As I mentioned
above Kaliabor is a Congress stronghold. Here congress is wining
continuously from 1999. So it was not easy to defeat congress there.
On the other hand Some steps of the government like introduction
of CAB also made people angry. Which overall affected the voting
behavior of the constituency.