Kaziranga (erstwhile Kaliabor) Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam. It was newly created during delimitation in August 2023. Voting for Lok Sabha election in the Kaziranga constituency will take place in the first phase of polls on April 19. The counting of votes will take place on June 4. The Kaziranga seat consists of Kaliabor, Barhampur, Binnakandi, Hojai, Lumding, Golaghat, Dergaon and Khumtai, Bokakhat and Sarupathar assembly segments.
Key Facts About the Kaziranga Seat
The Kaliabor Lok Sabha constituency was struck down during the delimitation process by the Election Commission in August 2023 and was replaced by Kaziranga. Here are some interesting facts about this Lok Sabha seat.
- Right from Tarun Gogoi (Former Assam CM) to his brother Deep Gogoi and his son Gaurav Gogoi, Kaliabor had been the domain of the Congress (with occasional upsets by the Ahom Gana Parishad).
- But the delimitation exercise has seen the nature of the constituency change considerably. It has changed the voter demography of the constituency making it a viable proposition for the BJP in 2024.
- With considerable tea gardens in the constituency and sizeable tea garden voters, state government policies on worker wages have given the BJP a leading edge.
- The Kaliabor constituency has 17,34,938 registered voters. There’s a nearly even split between genders with 690,698 males and 657,673 females registered to vote. Kaliabor has a sex ratio of 952 females per 1000 males (2011 census).
- The literacy rate of Kaliabor is 69.59%. Kaliabor Circle faces a literacy gap, with males having a literacy rate of 65.17% compared to females at 53.72%.
- Hindus form the largest religious group at 73.03%. Muslims comprise a significant minority at 21.67%. Christians make up a smaller minority at 4.67%.
2019 Election Results and 2024 Candidates
Gaurav Gogoi of the Congress won the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Kaliabar with 7,85,014 votes, defeating AGP’s Moni Madhab Mahanta.
For the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, BJP has fielded Rajya Sabha MP and tea community leader Kahakhya Tassa in Kaziranga. The Congress has fielded Roselina Tirkey, a woman leader from the tea garden community, to counter BJP’s strategic move.
Key Issues
Kaziranga is central to wildlife preservation. It is home to one of the most significant National Parks in the country. Hence, wildlife forms the core of all issues on this seat.
- Disguised unemployment is a major issue in Kaliabor, as it is in the new constituency Kaziranga. There are reports of unemployed youths joining ULFA.
- Kaziranga National Park, under the present BJP led Assam Government, has witnessed almost no poaching, which during the Congress government was a major issue and state concern.
- Tiger conservation efforts have also achieved major success, and the park has received major international recognition.
- Man-Elephant conflicts are common. There are allegations of encroachments into the elephant corridor. General encroachment into forest land has been a major concern in the constituency.
- Perennial problem of flood erosion has been bane for Kaziranga National Park.
- Other issues include primary education, impurities in river water and problems faced by farmers and public health infrastructure. Other constituency issues include anemia and malnutrition rates which are one of the highest in the country.
- Border issues with Nagaland and permanent settlement of migrants is another issue.
- Charges of corruption by the INC on Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has been the highlight of the opposition. It was mentioned recently by Rahul Gandhi in Kaliabar in his East to West Bharat Jodo Yatra.
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