With over 20.19 lakh voters, Guwahati Lok Sabha constituency is gearing up for a fierce battle in the upcoming third phase of the Lok Sabha elections alongside Barpeta, Dhubri, and Kokrajhar on May 7. In a noteworthy trend, the competition remains woman versus woman as BJP presents Bijuli Kalita Medhi while Congress nominates Mira Borthakur Goswami.
Bijuli Kalita Medhi, aged 45, is the wife of Tikendrajit Medhi and a resident of Guwahati’s Jyoti Nagar. At present, she serves as the Vice President of BJP for Assam Pradesh.
Bijuli Kalita Medhi, a significant personality in the BJP in Guwahati, became a member of the party in 2013. Her political career took a remarkable turn that year when she decided to run in the GMC council elections from ward number 23.
She is presently the Assam Pradesh BJP vice president and has previously served as the Assam BJP Mohila Morcha president. She has earned a Master’s degree in Philosophy from University of Gauhati in the year 2002.
Bijuli Kalita Medhi has not been convicted of any criminal offence, nor does she have any pending criminal cases against her. As per the affidavit, Bijuli Kalita Medhi has reported that her movable assets amount to Rs 18,22,233 and the value of her immovable assets is NIL.
“As a convent-educated dedicated party worker, Bijuli Kalita Medhi is known to those who matter – the common people comprising the backbone of the BJP. We expect her to win by a good margin,” said BJP leader Dhrubajyoti Moral.
Mira Borthakur Goswami, 51, a resident of Guwahati’s Chandan Nagar, is the wife of Dhruba Jyoti Goswami. She has been one of the strongest critics of the BJP, after her expulsion from the post of spokesperson for her anti-party activities in 2018. She joined Congress in 2021 and holds the esteemed position of the Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress president.
Mira Borthakur Goswami holds a BA degree from Nowgaon College, which she obtained in 1994. As per her affidavit, she owns non-agricultural land and a residential building in Guwahati worth Rs 1.95 crore. She also owns jewellery worth over Rs 3.5 lakh. Her movable assets amount to Rs 16,64,404 and the value of her immovable assets is Rs 2,10,00,000. Goswami has declared liabilities amounting to Rs 7,85,755.
She has faced numerous legal issues, with three cases registered against her at police stations in Dhemaji, Gogamukh and Silapathar. She has been booked under sections related to defamation, criminal conspiracy, obscene acts and provocation to cause rioting.
Both Bijuli Kalita Medhi and Mira Borthakur Goswami are debutants. Three women have represented the Guwahati seat in the Lok Sabha since the first post-Emergency election in 1977.
Represented by Praja Socialist Party’s Hem Barua, known as the most articulate parliamentarian from Assam ever, Guwahati is a prestigious constituency where even the likes of famous musician and singer Bhupen Hazarika failed to win on a BJP ticket in 2004.
The first woman to win the seat was Renuka Devi Barkakati of the Janata Party in 1977. The second was the BJP’s Bijoya Chakravarty, a former Union Minister, in 1999. In 2019, BJP’s Queen Oja won by more than 3.5 lakh votes against Congress candidate Bobbeeta Sharma.
Bijoya Chakravarty wrested the seat from Kirip Chaliha of Congress in 2009 and retained it in 2014 before the BJP replaced her with Queen Oja.
