In the upcoming election on April 19, the spotlight is on the high voltage Jorhat constituency in Upper Assam, where two prominent Ahom candidates are vying for victory. Gaurav Gogoi, a senior Congress leader, and Tapan Gogoi, the incumbent Member of Parliament from the BJP, are locked in a fierce battle with their respective parties fully backing them.

The significance of this constituency is underscored by recent events, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unveiling of a 125-foot statue honoring the Ahom general Lachit Barphukan, who thwarted Mughal invasions into Assam. Jorhat, being the capital of the former Ahom kingdom, holds considerable sway in Assam politics.

With over 5 lakh Ahom voters out of a total of 17 lakhs, their support is pivotal for victory. Gaurav Gogoi, acknowledging the diverse aspirations of Assam’s communities, emphasizes his commitment to representing all tribes and groups.

“ My father’s politics was to represent all tribes and communities of Assam whether it was Ahoms, ST tribes etc. I try to understand the aspirations of all majority and minority communities” Gaurav Gogoi told The Statesman.

Ahom leaders have historically played crucial roles in Assam’s governance, with Tarun Gogoi serving as Chief Minister for a record 15 years. Tarun Gogoi, father of Gaurav Gogoi, himself won from this constituency twice in 1971 and 1977.

Another Ahom, a veteran congress leader Bijoy Krishna Handique had represented the seats for a maximum number of six times until he was dislodged by tea tribe BJP leader Kamakhya Tasa in 2014.

In 2019, Tapan Gogoi replaced Tasa as the BJP candidate, highlighting the importance of Ahom representation.

Notably, the demand for scheduled tribe status for the Ahom community remains unmet by both major parties, leaving Ahom voters in a dilemma.

“Both Congress and BJP have ignored our demands of granting ST status. So, for the Ahom community it is a catch 22 situation for whom they will vote. But that is for sure that whoever will have the highest share of vote from the Ahom community will have the last laugh,” Rajib Gogoi, district president of the influential All Tai Ahom Students Union told the Statesman.

Despite this, the candidate who garners the most support from the Ahom community is likely to emerge victorious, he added.

Meanwhile, Tapan Gogoi, the incumbent MP and former General Secretary of the All Assam Students Union, expresses confidence in his re-election prospects, regardless of the challenge posed by another Ahom contender.

Five parliamentary seats of Upper Assam Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Kaziranga, Dibrugarh and Tezpur goes to polls in the first phase on April 19.