Asom Gorkha Sammelan spokesperson, Bhaskar Dahal, in Guwahati on Saturday. Picture by UB Photos

Guwahati, March 1: Asom Gorkha Sammelan, an umbrella organisation of Gorkhas in Assam, today pitched for Mani Kumar Subba as the Congress candidate in Tezpur constituency for the Lok Sabha election.

Spokesperson for the organisation, Bhaskar Dahal, today said over three lakh Gorkha voters in the constituency were in favour of Subba’s candidature whereas the Congress in the state was planning to field a candidate other than their community.

There are around 14 lakh voters in Tezpur constituency, comprising nine Assembly constituencies.

The population of Gorkhas in Assam is around 60 lakh, Dahal said.

The demand comes despite the controversy surrounding Subba’s citizenship, with many saying that he is a Nepal citizen.

“The controversy is regarding his personal life but no court has found him guilty of any corruption charges so far. As Gorkhas in Tezpur have voted for the Congress over the years and elected Subba thrice to the Lok Sabha, we want him to be given a ticket this time, too. If Subba is not given a ticket from Tezpur, the Congress will face its impact in other constituencies like Dibrugarh, Mangaldoi, Lakhimpur and Karbi Anglong where there are large numbers of Gorkha voters,” Dahal said.

Politicking is on to secure a Congress nomination from the Tezpur seat, now being held by AGP’s Joseph Toppo.

Among those whose names have been proposed by the Assam PCC to the high command for candidature in Tezpur seat include AICC secretary Bhupen Kumar Borah, former minister Ripun Borah and Subba, in that order. The name of a former external affairs official is also doing the rounds.

Sources said Borah had emerged as a strong contender after receiving the backing of both chief minister Tarun Gogoi and PCC president Bhubaneswar Kalita.

Borah’s apparent proximity with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is another factor working in his favour.

The Opposition BJP and AGP are also gearing up for the election with the BJP today forming an election committee headed by the party’s state president, Sarbananda Sonowal.

The AGP today said it was working out a strategy to contest the election on its own.

The AGP statement comes amid reports about the party’s willingness for a pre-poll alliance with BJP to contest all the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam.