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"Low turnout in Yogi's rally due to frustration of Silcharians" alleges Dilip Paul; "BJP has become overconfident"

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has brought some of the party’s national heavyweights to this region to ramp up their campaign and turn the tide in their favour. Starting from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President J. P. Nadda to actor/singer and BJP MP from North East Delhi Manoj Tiwari, the list is star-studded, to say the least. Most recently, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Hindutva poster boy Yogi Adityanath too visited the Cachar district in order to campaign for the BJP candidates of the valley. He addressed the people of this region in three areas of the district, but the overall excitement and enthusiasm that was expected from the people of Cachar at Yogi’s arrival didn’t quite match up to the expectations. Even though Yogi Adityanath did try to strike a local chord with the people by mentioning the events of the 1961 Language Movement and the partition, it helped little to gather enough crowd to fill up the venue itself. Many people have raised their eyebrows seeing the reception that the Uttar Pradesh CM managed to receive during his short visit to the Barak Valley.

In this context, speaking to Barak Bulletin, former BJP outcast and incumbent MLA from Silchar, Dilip Kumar Paul said that the entire episode is an embarrassing one. “It is disheartening and embarrassing to see such a low turnout. But in a way, it’s understandable too. Through this incident, the people of Silchar have conveyed the message that they’re not happy with their decision and are frustrated with it. I have been saying this over and over again, that today the BJP in Assam and especially in Barak valley, is run by outsiders mostly. Some of their politicians are hellbent on destroying the party in this state, and the people themselves are witnessing that. The way I’ve been sidelined and snubbed from getting a ticket by a certain unholy lobby, people can see that too. And they’re furious and gravely upset over it, which they haven’t been able to accept it.”

While talking about the low turnout during Yogi’s visit, he said that it was a result of arrogance and overconfidence. “Whatever happened today is a good lesson for the BJP. From their speeches, it could be said that they’re being arrogant and overconfident as if whatever happens, they’ll win anyway. BJP is my former party, so I know everything from inside out. I respect Yogi Adityanath, he is the poster boy of Hindutva. This is the first visit of Yogiji after becoming the CM of Uttar Pradesh, and of course, he understood the situation there. Amidst such circumstances, the way Yogiji was insulted after inviting him here, is unacceptable. Therefore, I appeal to the higher leadership of the BJP as well as the people, that this lobby is trying their best to give Congress a walk-over to come into power. That’s why they’ve fielded such a weak candidate. If they don’t want to see Badruddin Ajmal (AIUDF) as the state’s CM, then don’t waste your support by voting on the basis of a party but rather on the basis of the individual candidate. If they really intend to stop the Congress alliance from coming to power, then they should vote for Dilip Paul”, the two-time MLA from Silchar said.

Dilip Kumar Paul also appreciated the voters of the city which happen to be his constituency. He emphasised that the citizens of Silchar are extremely intelligent, knowledgeable, educated and are also aware of their issues. “They’ve always stood up against exploitation and injustice. Hence, they’d know better whom to root for”, said Dilip Paul. It is worth mentioning that the BJP Assam Pradesh has suspended Dilip Kumar Paul and 14 other party members of the state for going against party ‘protocol’ last week. But by then, Dilip Paul had already tendered his resignation from the BJP and had filed his nomination from the Silchar LAC as an independent candidate, thereby putting more fuel to the already fuming fire of dissatisfaction inside the party.

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