The ruling BJP might go for putting up new faces in at least four of the seven Lok Sabha seats replacing the sitting Lok Sabha MPs from the party.
Sources in the saffron party said that the party might go for putting up new candidates in the four Lok Sabha constituencies due to factors like age of the sitting Lok Sabha MPs and those who embarrassed the party in the past by triggering unnecessary controversies.
“The party leadership might go for replacing sitting Lok Sabha MP from Guwahati, Bijoya Chakravarty due to her age. Chakravarty who was former union water resources minister is over 75. There is also demand for accommodating new and young faces,” said a senior party leader on condition of anonymity.
Similarly, the sitting MPs in three other seats—Nagaon, Tezpur and Mangaldai–are also likely to be changed mainly due to controversy and anti-incumbency factors.
Sources further said that the party is unlikely to consider sitting MPs from Nagaon and Tezpur constituencies —Rajen Gohain and RP Sarmah respectively for the controversies while Mangaldai MP Ramen Deka might be axed this time for anti-incumbency factors.
Sitting MP from Nagaon constituency and Union minister of state for Railway, Rajen Gohain have triggered controversies after a rape and molestation case was registered against him in Nagaon police station last year by a woman.
Tezpur MP Ram Prasad Sarmah also embroiled himself in controversies after his daughter was arrested in connection with the multi-crore cash for job scam in Assam.
The MP’s daughter who was selected by the Assam Public Service Commission as Assam Police Service (APSC) official was accused of bribing APSC chairman Rakesh Paul to make it to the selection list of APSC.