After his election rally in Seleng this morning, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma headed towards Soykota Tea Estate on the outskirts of Mariani, a railway township along the Assam-Nagaland border of Jorhat district in upper Assam.
Himanta Biswa Sarma opted for lunch with the tea garden community, unlike his previous rallies in five constituencies in the state that are going to vote on October 30.
Arrangements were made in an open ground surrounded by lush green gardens, where simple meals prepared by the gardeners were served to the Chief Minister. Though a cot was arranged for the Chief Minister, Sarma refused to enjoy privileges among the common people. He enjoyed his meal sitting on the field with young girls from the garden community and its staff, discussing their experiences and sharing their views on a number of key issues related to the labor community… from health to wages.
“I am lucky enough to be enjoying lunch with my brothers and sisters from the tea community and the garden worker. I had four cans of fish, it was delicious. Whenever I visit tea gardens I I make a point of sharing food with them, but this is the first time in Jorhat,” said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Located about 17.5 km from Jorhat, the tea town along the Assam-Nagaland Highway, Mariani has been a traditional Congress stronghold. The strong 46% of the vote representing the tea garden community has remained loyal to the Congress and has ensured a consistent victory for the party’s representative over the years.
After the death of Rumpam Kurmi, the first woman legislator from the Congress to represent the tea garden community, her youngest son Rujyoti Kurmi has been a member of the Legislative Assembly representing Mariani for four consecutive terms since 2006. An outspoken Congress leader, Rupjyoti’s differences were evident to the state Congress leader when she vehemently opposed her party’s grand alliance with the AIUDF. However, things did not progress smoothly for Roopjyoti and the Congress even after their victory in the 2021 assembly elections. Kurmi quit the Congress on June 18 and said that only old leaders are being promoted and Rahul Gandhi is unable to fulfill the party’s responsibilities. He joined the BJP on June 21, paving the way for the by-elections.
There are around 37,000 Ahom (Traditional Assamese) voters in this constituency who will be instrumental in deciding the fate this time. The BJP, including the Chief Minister, however, has full confidence in the success of its candidate.
Exchanging views with the women workers of the tea garden, Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “I have come for the election campaign but Mariani does not need the campaign.”
Meanwhile, the Congress has fielded Rupjyoti Kurmi’s old friend Lohit Konwar, making the contest even. The Congress believes that the heart will not change and Kurmi will have to face his musical tastes.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has lunch with tea garden workers of Dinjoy Tea Estate in Chabua, Upper Assam, on Friday during a two-day tour of Assam in March 2021. Priyanka Gandhi also had tea at the house of a tea garden worker during the election campaign in Assam’s Biswanath district. However, the food could not set the mood for the Congress in the 2021 assembly elections as the party lost many of its tea strongholds despite the wages of tea garden workers being one of the five guarantees given to its voters.
“Finally, I want to reiterate two important things. The first Roopjyoti Kurmi is yours and you have to ensure his victory. Although this time he represents the lotus, as you are used to pressing the hand button for him, this time take care not to press the hand button for the kurmi. The first button is his, press it. The second thing is that please get both those vaccines which are necessary,” the chief minister said at the end of his speech at the Seleng election rally.
However, for the workers of Soykota Tea Estate, owned by Assam Tea Corporation Limited, it was the opportunity of a lifetime to have lunch with Mama (as Himanta Biswa Sarma is fondly addressed by his followers).
“Sharing the lunch with the Chief Minister was a memorable experience. He sat with us and ate what he had. There was rice, lentils (lentils), vegetable curry, fish and cheese. He enjoyed his meal” says Naveen Karmakar, secretary, Soykota Tea Estate.
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