Guwahati, May 13: Bhupen Hazarika today lost to Bhupen Hazarika, at least that is what the music maestro thinks. Accepting his defeat to the Congress’ Kirip Chaliha “sportingly”, the BJP’s star candidate tonight said that “complacency among the grassroots workers” had led to his loss in Guwahati. “They (the party workers) thought that there was no need for campaigning as Bhupen Hazarika is contesting. That made the difference in the ultimate analysis,” Hazarika told The Telegraph.
He had declined to speak to reporters who thronged his residence here after the result trend became clear. While Chaliha polled 3,53,250 votes, Hazarika got 2,92,099 votes, ahead of 1,80,856 votes polled by Bhrigu Kumar Phukan of the AGP.
The maestro, whose joining the BJP just ahead of the elections had angered many, cited the “poor organisational strength” of the BJP at the grassroots level as one of the reasons for his defeat. “Most of the field workers are novices who are not exactly fit for the job,” he added.
Hazarika was, however, non-committal on his future in politics, saying that he would have a discussion with the party leadership before taking a final decision. “My joining politics was a sudden decision at the request of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. I have many projects in hand... I will have to decide accordingly,” he added. Hazarika’s brother, Samar Hazarika, said the defeat of “Bhupenda” was shocking and painful for the family.
“We knew that Hazarika was losing the seat as he joined a party with whose ideology the people of Assam are not very comfortable,” Chandra Mohan Patowary, general secretary of the AGP, said.
“Bhupenda was the architect of his own defeat. When the BJP-led government did not nominate him as a Rajya Sabha member, the entire state was shocked. He was given moral support by everyone. But the Assamese people received another shock when he joined the BJP ,” AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya said, adding that the people of Guwahati know where to draw a line between Hazarika as a singer and a politician.