In each electoral cycle, the tea tribal population in Assam emerges as a decisive force, capturing attention due to their substantial sway at the polls.

The ruling BJP’s flagship initiative — the Direct Benefit Cash Transfer scheme — appears to have resonated within the tea gardens across Assam, consolidating the party’s support base, particularly in Upper Assam.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress is grappling with diminishing electoral prospects, exacerbated by internal organisational divisions, potentially tipping the electoral balance in favour of the BJP.

Employing a calculated strategy, the BJP has not only implemented welfare programs but has also bolstered its connection with tea labourers through the establishment of tea organisations. These bodies, backed by the BJP, have gradually eclipsed the influence of the Congress-affiliated All Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS), allowing the Bharatiya Chah Mazdoor Sangha (BCMS) to rise in prominence.

Pawan Singh Ghatowar, President of ACMS, highlighted, “While the BJP’s beneficiary schemes have garnered attention among the tea tribe community in Assam, their core issues, such as the granting of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, remain unaddressed.”

He emphasised the need for the Congress, despite being out of power, to champion these concerns and regain the trust of tea garden voters.

Echoing similar sentiments, the influential All Assam Tea Tribes Students Association noted that a significant portion of the tea tribe population in Assam has shifted away from the Congress.

Originating from the Chotanagpur plateau, Adivasi groups like the Oraons, Santhals, Mundas, Kharias, Bhumij, Gonds, and Sawras migrated to Assam generations ago to work in tea estates established during the British colonial period.

Despite their substantial contribution to Assam’s tea industry, these communities, now referred to as tea and ex-tea garden tribes, are officially categorised as Other Backward Classes (OBC) by the government. They face economic hardships and limited educational opportunities.

Seeking official recognition as Scheduled Tribes (ST) in Assam, they aspire for increased support and opportunities to enhance their livelihoods.

Of the 803 registered large tea gardens in Assam, Dibrugarh boasts the highest count with 177 gardens, closely followed by Tinsukia with 122 gardens, all falling within the Dibrugarh constituency.

With a formidable electoral strength of nearly 40 lakhs which influence election results in 26 constituencies and five parliamentary seats, the tea voters, predominantly concentrated in Upper Assam where five seats are up for grabs on April 19, hold the key to determining the electoral fate of the candidates.

As the electoral battle heats up, all eyes are on the tea gardens of Assam, where the outcome of the polls could be decisively shaped by the voting preferences of this influential demographic.