1991 Assam Legislative Assembly election

Elections to the Assam Legislative Assembly were held in June 1991 to elect members of 126 constituencies in Assam, India. The Indian National Congress won the popular vote and a majority of seats and Hiteswar Saikia was appointed as the Chief Minister of Assam for his second term. The number of constituencies was set as 126, by the recommendation of the Delimitation Commission of India.

Background The Asom Gana Parishad was a constituent member of the Third Front Union Government of India formed in 1989. However, the Assam state executive headed by the Asom Gana Parishad was subsequently dismissed by the Government of India. President's rule was imposed in the state and the Indian Army was tasked with executing Operation Bajrang against the United Liberation Front of Assam.

The elections were fought amidst tense ethnic and sectarian relations. An unnamed legislator associated with the Asom Gana Parishad declared before the elections that:

The electorate in Assam will, however, keep a sharp eye on AGP's stand on the foreigners issue — so far its silence over this vexed problem was understandable. The stigma of fouling up the Indian Constitution. As a consequence thereof, they cannot talk of scrapping the part of the Assam accord. But the issue cannot be left hanging either. The immigrant vote bank is a treasure chest for any political party. The AGP can ill afford to disregard it. It is here that the BJP factor once again comes to the fore. The BJP has made the problem even more complex. It has sought to divide the immigrants into two clear cut sections strictly on religious grounds. The non-Muslims immigrating into India which mainly includes the Hindus and of course the Chakmas, are termed as refugees and are to be given shelter here. On the other hand, the Muslim immigrants are deemed as aliens and are to be detected and deported. This typical stand of the BJP makes little sense and in all likelihood it fails to make any impact on the electorate in Assam. However, there is another face of it. Reports of fundamentalism gaining ground in Assam and in the forthcoming hustings forces of pan-Islamic groups and those subscribing to Hindutva might play dominant roles. Though examples of anything communal making impact on the Assamese are rare, the time has come for the law enforcing authorities to expect the best but prepare for the worst. Prospects of the BJP improving the position in the Barak Valley are bright. There, of course, the question of the Bengali Hindus asserting their right for the sake of their identity is at stake. The Nepalis as well as the Chakmas coming to India in search of greener pastures, have added another dimensions to this festering problem. The peculiar stand of the government of Assam vis-à-vis the infiltration issue is diabolic to say the least. While the surrounding states have pushed the Chakmas out of their borders, all of them have taken refuge in Assam. Steps have been taken to deport them in batches to Bangladesh, but still many of them remain. Some of them even refuse to return to Bangladesh for fear of persecution from the illegal settlers there. Unless things are really sorted out in Bangladesh and also in Nepal the foreigners issue will surely remain a potential area for the political parties to make fresh forays. To sum up, the Assembly elections in Assam will be one of the most explosive ones in recent years. The strength of the opposition parties vis-à-vis the ruling Congress (I) will mark a new point in the state politics. Even the viability of the regional parties will be on test. Though the Left parties are trying to form a united front against the Congress but nothing concrete has yet emanated.

Result

Elected members ConstituencyReserved for(SC/ST/None)MemberParty Ratabari SC Ram Payare Rabidas Patharkandi None Madhusudan Tewari Karimganj North None Mission Ranjan Das Karimganj South None Pranab Kumar Nath Badarpur None Abu Saleh Najmuddin Hailakandi None Chittendra Nath Mazumder Katlicherra None Gautam Roy Algapur None Sahidul Alam Chodhary Silchar None Samarendra Nath Sen Sonai None Badrinarayan Singh Dholai SC Parimal Suklabaidya Udharbond None Jagannath Singh Lakhipur None Dinesh Prasad Goala Barkhola None Abdul Matin Mazumdar Katigora None Kali Ranjan Deb Haflong ST Gobinda Chandra Langthasa Bokajan ST Monsing Rongpi Howraghat ST Babu Rongpi Diphu ST Dipendra Rongpi Baithalangso ST Holiram Terang Mankachar None Zahirul Islam Salmara South None Dewan Joynal Abedin Dhubri None Dhruba Kumar Sen Gauripur None Md. Mohidul Haque Golakganj None Alauddin Sarkar Bilasipara West None Giasuddin Ahmed Bilasipara East None Anowar Hussin Gossaigaon None Tajendra Narzary Kokrajhar West ST Parameswar Brahma Kokrajhar East ST Pramila Rani Brahma Sidli ST Khiren Borgoyary Bongaigaon None Phani Bhusan Choudhury Bijni None Kamal Brahma Abhayapuri North None Bhupen Roy Abhayapuri South SC Chandan Kumar Sarkar Dudhnai ST Jagat Patgiri Goalpara East None Ratneshwar Das Goalpara West None Nazmul Hoque Jaleswar None Afzalur Rahman Sorbhog None Samsul Hoque Bhabanipur None Milan Boro Patacharkuchi None Krishna Kanta Lahkar Barpeta None Ismail Hussain Jania None Asahaque Ali Baghbar None Dildar Rezza Sarukhetri None Nizamuddin Khan Chenga None Liakat Ali Khan Boko SC Gopinath Das Chaygaon None Kamala Kalita Palasbari None Jatin Mali Jalukbari None Bhrigu Kumar Phukan Dispur None Atul Bora Gauhati East None Chitta Ranjan Patowari Gauhati West None Ramendra Narayan Kalita Hajo None Badan Baruah Kamalpur None Hiteswar Deka Rangiya None Thaneswar Baro Tamulpur None Derhagra Musha Nalbari None Nagen Sarma Barkhetry None Bhumidhar Barman Dharmapur None Chandra Mohan Patowary Barama ST Pani Ram Rabha Chapaguri ST Suren Swargiary Panery None Karendra Basumatari Kalaigaon None Jew Ram Boro Sipajhar None Zoii Nath Sarmah Mangaldoi SC Nakul Chandra Das Dalgaon None Anwara Taimur Udalguri ST Jaman Singh Brahma Majbat None Silvius Condpan Dhekiajuli None Hiranya Bora Barchalla None Rudra Parajuli Tezpur None Bijit Saikia Rangapara None Golok Rajbanshi Sootea None Kushal Sahu Biswanath None Nurjamal Sarkar Behali None Barnabash Tantee Gohpur None Kosheswar Barua Jagiroad SC Bubul Das Marigaon None Munin Mahanta Laharighat None Samsul Huda Raha SC Gahin Chandra Das Dhing None Muzibar Rahman Batadroba None Goutom Bora Rupohihat None Rashidul Haque Nowgong None Mukut Sarma Barhampur None Prafulla Kumar Mahanta Samaguri None Nurul Hussain Kaliabor None Boloram Nag Jamunamukh None Abdul Jalil Ragibi Hojai None Ardhendu Kumar Dey Lumding None Debesh Ch. Chaakroborty Bokakhat None Bhupen Bhuyan Sarupathar None Binod Gowal Golaghat None Nagen Neog Khumtai None Jiba Kanta Gogoi Dergaon SC Hem Prakash Narayan Jorhat None Hitendra Nath Goswami Majuli ST Padmeswar Doley Titabar None Mahendra Bora Mariani None Rupam Kurmi Teok None Renu Poma Rajkhowa Amguri None Anjan Dutta Nazira None Hiteshwar Saikia Mahmara None Lakhi Prasad Borgohain Sonari None Sarat Barkotoky Thowra None Devananda Konwar Sibsagar None Promod Gogoi Bihpuria None Borgaram Deori Naoboicha None Moni Kumar Subba Lakhimpur None Indra Gogoi Dhakuakhana ST Bharat Chandra Narah Dhemaji ST Dilip Kumar Saikia Jonai ST Gomeswar Pegu Moran None Joy Chandra Nagbanshi Dibrugarh None Keshab Gogoi Lahowal None Haren Bhumij Duliajan None Aniya Gogoi Tingkhong None Prithibi Majhi Naharkatia None Sasha Kamal Handique Chabua None Upendra Sanatan Tinsukia None Shio Sambhu Ojha Digboi None Rameswar Dhanowar Margherita None Kulbahadur Chetri Doom Dooma None Dileswar Tanti Sadiya None Debendra Nath Baruah

See also List of constituencies of the Assam Legislative Assembly 1991 elections in India

References