Challenges galore for Sonowal, checking infiltration top priority

According to political observers, the main issues that are likely to put Sonowal’s Chief Ministerial stint on the tenterhooks include checking infiltration, expediting incomplete development works, addressing separate statehood demand by Bodos and to fulfil the ambitions of Himanta Biswa Sarma, a Congress turncoat.

“First of all, we have to seal the Indo-Bangla border to stop infiltration. We have to prepare within a time-frame the NRC (National Register of Citizens) with the names of bonafide Indian citizens. These are the two biggest challenges,” said Sonowal.

Explaining the challenges for Sonowal, celebrated political commentator Arvind Mohan said: “No doubt, Sonowal has won the battle of ballots, but the real test for him is in fulfilling the promises that he had made during campaigning. The BJP has to chart out instant solution to check Bangladeshi infiltration as Hindus as well as indigenous Muslims of the state voted for the party on this ground.”

He added: “The BJP benefitted a lot by playing the identity card to win over the traditional votes of the Congress, but its implementation is not as easy as the party is foreseeing. It would have been more fruitful for the BJP, if it had contested the elections on the development plank as new schemes or works can be initiated at earliest.” 

Mohan added that the other major issue that might bring troubles for Sonowal is fulfilling the political ambitions of Sarma, who left the Congress even after he was the most powerful in the Tarun Gogoi government. “The expectation of Sarma would come into open very soon,” he said, adding, “There is a buzz that Sarma has “funded” all 126 candidates belonging to different parties either to win or lose a seat.”

Another political expert Jaishankar Gupta said as the BJP has vowed to make Assam a Bagladeshi-free state, the people would look for immediate results. 

“Not only the BJP, even Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) have accused the Congress of promoting infiltration and the allies would also put pressure on Sonowal to take swift action in this regard. It is also that the BPF is likely to raise its long-pending demand of a separate state,” he said.

Commenting on the loss of the Congress, Shankar said, “Factors such as anti-incumbency and banking on an old face – Gogoi – decimated the party in Assam. The BJP played the Hindu card, while the Congress relied upon non-secular vote-bank.”