Despite relief from the court, the BJP today denied ticket to Union Railway Minister Rajen Gohain and gave the Nagaon Lok Sabha ticket to Rupak Sharma.
This was announced by the BJP's Central Election Committee (CEC) past midnight ending a day-long drama which began with Court dismissing rape charges against the Union Minister.
The Guwahati High Court's dramatic dismissal of the rape charge had rekindled the hope of Rajen Gohain getting renomination for the 5th time. But that did not happen as Nagaon MLA Rupak Sharma got the ticket.
Rupak Sharma is a Himanta Biswa Sharma loyalist and he is the second Himanta men in the list of 10.
The development will surely be going to cast a shadow as Nagaon attracted the biggest controversy in ticket selection and it was undecided till late last night.
There is inside information that Rajen Gohain's son may be accommodated in place of Rupak Sharma in Assam Assembly if latter wins the Lok Sabha election.
The Nagaon constituency looks tough for BJP as the AIUDF decided not to contest the Lok Sabha making it a direct Congress versus BJP candidate.
BJP has been winning the seat for last four times due to division of Muslim votes. A quick glance of 2014 results sheet clearly reflect the picture.
2014
BJP Rajen Gohain 4,94,146
INC Jonjonali Baruah 3,50,587
AIUDF Dr. Aditya Langthasa 3,14,012
This happened after the unprecedented Modi wave that swept Assam. But that wave is not there and Pradyut Bardoloi, a former minister of Congress, is a strong candidate in Nagaon.
Rajen Gohain, a four-time MP, is not going to sitting tight after the humiliation he and his family had gone through. Not only the ticket were denied but his wife was also at one point time was promised ticket and all the arrangement for celebration was also done.
In fact, wife Rita Nath Gohain broked down before the media blaming that some people were conspiring against the family, a sentiment echoed by Union Minister Rajen Gohain also. This could also be the end of the political life of Rajen Gohain who has been winning Nagaon seat when BJP had no such presence in Assam. He was also the state unit president.
