Guwahati: Amidst the hullabaloo of crorepati candidates pulling all the cards in this election season in Assam, activists Akhil Gogoi and Pranab Doley are trying their luck for the first time in electoral politics with just a few thousand rupees in their pockets.
While jailed anti-CAA activist Akhil Gogoi has no cash in hand, Doley has only Rs 10,000 cash in his pocket.
Gogoi is the adviser of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, while Doley is a senior leader of the Jeepal Krishak Sramik Sangha, which is active mostly in Golaghat district.
Gogoi is contesting from Sivasagar seat on the ticket of his newly floated political outfit Raijor Dal, while Doley is a candidate of the Anchalik Gana Morcha (AGM), a part of the Congress-led ‘Grand Alliance’, in Bokakhat seat.
As per Gogoi’s affidavit submitted along with his nomination paper, he does not have any cash in hand and has deposits of Rs 60,497 in two bank accounts.
Besides, he has shares worth Rs 10,000 at his brainchild Kaziranga Jatiyo Orchid Aru Jooiba Boichitra Udyan Samabai Samiti Ltd, an orchid park located adjacent to the Kaziranga National Park and managed by local indigenous villagers.
Gogoi, who stated himself to be a party whole-timer with no source of income, does not own any immovable property or has any liability, but he took an individual loan of Rs 50,000 from his wife Gitashree Tamuly.
Tamuly has total assets of Rs 1,66,25,108, including Rs 18,72,158 worth movable assets, along with liabilities of Rs 30,28,865.49, the affidavit mentioned. She is an Associate Professor of Assamese at B Borooah College, Guwahati.
Doley has movable assets worth Rs 46,675, including Rs 10,000 cash in hand, Rs 20,000 in three bank accounts and an insurance policy of Rs 15,675 per annum.
The peasant rights activist, who mentioned his source of income as cultivation, owns four bighas of agricultural land worth Rs 4 lakh at Ahom Gaon in Kaziranga mouza, the affidavit stated.
Besides, Doley has liabilities worth Rs 2,53,156.56 in terms of two pending loans from the erstwhile United Bank of India, Bokakhat branch.
Gogoi, a graduate from Cotton College, is likely to face a triangular contest with BJP candidate Surabhi Rajkonwar and Congress nominee Subhramitra Gogoi.
Doley, an MA in Social Work from TISS, will have a stiff fight with heavyweight minister and ruling ally AGP President Atul Bora.
Both Sivasagar and Bokakhat are going to polls in the first phase Saturday.
Altogether 264 candidates are contesting in 47 constituencies going to polls in the first phase.
A total of 946 candidates are in the fray in the elections to the 126 assembly seats being held in three phases March 27, April 1 and April 6.
PTI
