Sibling rivalry in Barama. Pictures by UB Photos

Barama, April 2: Three-year old Anurag Boro is in a foul mood for he sees his father very infrequently these days. And when he does see him ? that is, after a gap of three or four days ? he refuses to talk or play with him.

For father Prabin Boro, the debonair AGP candidate from Barama Assembly constituency in Nalbari district, it is not his sulking son that is causing him distress. His source of anxiety is a disgruntled baidew (elder sister).

After being denied an AGP ticket for the seat, former minister Rekha Rani Das Boro, whom Prabin Boro addresses as baidew, rebelled against the party to contest as an Independent candidate with the sole avowed aim of defeating her bhaiti (brother).

Notwithstanding their cautious attempt to not debase the electoral battle into a personal war, there is no love lost between them now.

?I have tremendous respect for her, as I have for other opponents, but no one is above the cause of the nation. One should not do anything that will strengthen the hand of the Delhi-oriented party, which believes only in exploiting Assam,? the bespectacled Boro said at a public meeting at Natkuchi, a nondescript town along National Highway 37. Rekha Rani countered her bhaiti saying, ?I do not want to make any personal attack on anyone.... I have always seen him as a younger brother. Rajnitit eibur hoi, upakarik ajagare khai (In politics these things happen, you are often betrayed by the one you helped). Whatever has to be said, people will say in the polls.?

True, strange things do happen in politics. But Boro, a debutant, is not complaining ? except about his son?s sullen mood.

?I go out campaigning early in the morning and return only at night. My son does not like this schedule. I do miss him, but I am overwhelmed by the response of the people,? he said.

Known for his articulate, fiery speeches, Boro joined the AGP only a few days before the elections were announced and bagged a party ticket right away.

?Veteran Rekha Rani should have anticipated the writing on the wall. After all, it was under Prabin?s leadership that the AASU helped Brindaban Goswami (AGP president) oust former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta,? said Dipak Goswami, a resident of Natkuchi. Radical regionalism is the USP of the former student leaders who proudly proclaimed that Mahanta had paid the price of ?betraying? the regional cause.

Rekha Rani, who has been championing the cause of regionalism in this former Ulfa bastion, has a competitor.

In the four-cornered contest in this constituency reserved for the Scheduled Tribes, 20-odd per cent of general voters, among whom Rekha Rani had a strong presence so far, will play a crucial role. More so, as the majority of tribal votes will be divided among the four main contenders ? Pani Ram Rava of the Congress, Prabin Boro of the AGP, Maneswar Basumatary of the Hagrama faction of the BPPF and Independent candidate Rekha Rani.

It remains to be seen if Prabin, with his clean regionalist image, can erode baidew?s vote bank.

If he succeeds, it will perhaps make do for failing to devote to Anurag the time the toddler craves for.