As Assamese and Bengali nationalist organizations are heading for a showdown, post Puja, as per scripted by the BJP in its just concluded State Executive at Majuli, the BJP National president Amit Shah descended late last night to take stock of the situation.
This morning he left for Aizawal for booth level meeting in the Christian dominated state after marathon strategic meeting with the BJP and RSs honchos.
The Bengali nationalist forces have been backed by the ruling party and the Assamese nationalist forces have been coming together with ULFA and Congress coming to that pole. Both the AASU and KMSS are playing a pivotal but rival role and both the groups are trying to bring others with them.
On the one side all Bengali and non Assamsese speaking population and its organizations are with BJP. On the other hand Assamese nationalist organizations and the Congress are in one side.
This is a peculiar position and two stalwarts of Assam's political sky, Dr Nagen Saikia and three time Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi are of the opinion that this is going to be the darkest period of Assamsese in its history.
The BJP has backed the Bengali organizations to the hilt and they are ganging up and organizing a mega rally on November 17. The official objective of the rally is to tell majority Assamese from one platform that the citizenship Amendment Bill is no threat to Assam and Hindu Bangladeshi shall come to India.
But the rally has been viewed as direct provocation and challenge to the Assamese sub nationalism, which is represented by the likes of AASU and AGP. Even the Congress is also veering into this position.
This November 17 Bengali rally has polarized Assam in two camps- Bengali and Assamese, something the BJP is experimenting with a clear road map.
The BJP wants to taste its own strength with this stand. They feel that with a huge beneficiary section from the mainstream Assamese section, the Bengalis and non Assamese voters would place them around 25-30% per cent of voters in the upcoming Panchayat poll.
The BJP has decided to alienate AGP in the Panchayat poll. If BJP does well and go past 30% vote share, the BJP may drop AGP permanently in the Lok Sabha but if it stays below 30% vote share in the Panchyat Poll, then the AGP alliance would be revived. But as of now the BJP won't mind to see the back of the AGP.
