In Assam's Amethi, CM Gogoi: 'My rival like my son, I wish him well'

TITABOR: Dawn to dusk, Pratima Gaur (65) shuttles between her home inside Choraipani Tea Estate and the small stream that runs through the garden, fetching water for drinking and household chores.
It's a routine the women among the 1500-odd population in Titabar's British-era tea garden follow.In CM Tarun Gogoi's election turf, often referred to as ` Assam's Amethi,' drinking water is still a dream.Just 7km from Titabor town, the estate has only one school in the area with an abysmal ratio of two teachers for 400 students. There is a hospital but no doctors. A sole nurse manages the show.
The garden, producer of one of India's finest brews, has only 300 educated youth. In the last 15 years, only one has got a government job as a school teacher.
One of the major gardens among the 37 estates in the constituency, Choraipani is lucky enough to get electricity. But people in surrounding areas like Charapur, Rajabari and Dholi are still without power. Titabor constituency is one of 38 assembly seats where tea garden workers decide the fortunes of parties.
The almost-80 Gogoi A S has as his challenger BJP's Kamakhya Tasa -at 40, half his age. Tasa, a former student leader and BJP's Lok Sabha MP from Jorhat, promises to bring `sarabananda' in the gardens. Members of Assam Tea Tribes Student Association (Attsa) are backing their former president, Tasa. Says Santosh Sing, president of Atttsa (Jorhat), "We're tired of agitating for drinking water, schools, teachers, hospitals, doctors, roads. The CM had announced a Rs 100-crore drinking water scheme. The infrastructure was built but not a drop of water."
Tasa and supporters are aware of the divided tea garden votes. "It's not easy to win over Congress supporters. Since Independence, the tea tribe's been loyal to Congress.The Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (tea tribe's apex body) is rallying behind Congress," says Arunim Hazarika, a political analyst.
Tasa expects to dethrone Gogoi with the slogan of underdevelopment. "I'm going to the people with the issue of under-development and corruption," he says. Tasa has also not been able to breach into the 20% Christian followers of his own community . "We don't think Chrsitians will ever vote BJP ," said Sing.The remianing 55% are Ahoms, Muslims and tribal groups.
Gogoi, who was born in a tea estate in the constituency , made his debut as an MLA in 2001. Since then, Gogoi was returned from the constituency twice. In 2011, Gogoi polled 61% votes. In his two earlier outings, he's won with an average margin of 45,000 votes.
The CM conceded he has not been able to devote more time to his constituency . "I am sorry. But I promise I to give more time to my constituency ," says Gogoi. This is another point that his rival, Tasa, is trying to drive home as he campaigns in Assam's own Amethi.
Gogoi is taking the young challenger in Tasa in his stride. He calls Tasa not his rival but someone who is like his son. "He is of my son's age. He is like my son. I wish him the best. If I've worked for the constituency , people will vote for me. If I have not, they will vote for my opponent," he says.