Lok Sabha election 2019: Assam minister to take on sitting MP in Kokrajhar
The Bodoland People’s Front, a coalition partner of the BJP in the Assam government has named minister Pramila Rani Brahma to take on sitting MP Naba Kumar Sarania who won as in Independent candidate in 2014.
Kokrajhar in Assam is a Lok Sabha constituency reserved for Scheduled Tribes candidates. Kokrajhar will go to polls in the third phase on April 23. The constituency covers 10 assembly segments - Gossaigaon, Kokrajhar East (ST), Kokrajhar West (ST), Sidli (ST), Bijni, Sorbhog, Bhabanipur, Tamulpur, Barama (ST) and Chapaguri (ST).
Independent candidate Naba Kumar Sarania won the seat in 2014 defeating another independent candidate Urkhai Gwara Brahma by a huge margin of 3,55,779 votes. The constituency is spread across Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Dhubri, Kokrajhar and Nalbari districts. Bodos are the major tribe in the constituency.
Sarania is a former commander of the rebel group ULFA. This time he will be up against Pramila Rani Brahma of the Bodoland People’s Front, a coalition partner of the BJP in the state government. Brahma is a Assam’s social welfare minister.
According to the 2011 census, out of total 2381032 population 93.41% is rural and 6.59% is urban population. The Scheduled castes (SC) and Scheduled tribes (ST) ratio is 6.41 and 28.57, respectively out of total population.
Kokrajhar Lok Sabha constituency in numbers:
Name of the Lok Sabha constituency: Kokrajhar (ST)
Date of voting: April 23
2019 candidates: Sabda Ram Rabha (Congress), Pramila Rani Brahma (Bodoland Peoples Front), Biraj Deka (CPI-M)
Sitting MP, Party: Naba Kumar Sarania, IND
Winning margin in 2014: 355,779 votes
Runner up name, party: Urkhai Gwara Brahma, IND
Number of voters in 2014: 1,505,476
Percentage of votes polled in 2014: 81.29
Number of polling booths in 2014: 2,049
Number of women voters: 729,405