The Assam Congress on Sunday constituted a 22-member committee to look into the grievances of tea garden workers to woo the community ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Party insiders said it was worried the way the tea garden community votes had shifted to the ruling BJP in the recent panchayat elections, which fared well in Upper Assam districts, once a stronghold of the Congress.
The committee, formed by PCC president Ripun Bora, will be headed by former Union minister and president of Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha Paban Singh Ghatowar as its adviser, former minister Prithivi Majhi as chairman and MLA and chairman of the PCC’s Tea and Ex-Tea Mazdoor department, Rupjyoti Kurmi, as its convener.
The other members are MP Santiuse Kujur, former minister Ajit Singh, senior leaders like Bhagirath Karan, Bhimananda Tanti, legislators Durga Bhumij, Rajdeep Goala and Roseline Tirkey, a few former MLAs and the party’s office-bearers.
The committee was asked to study the problems of tea garden workers and the community and recommend measures for their socio-cultural and socio-economic development.
It will also look into the creation of employment opportunities for unemployed youths, expansion of quality and job-oriented education, better health and sanitation facilities and overall economic and infrastructure development of the community.
The committee has been asked to submit reports by January 20 so the recommendations can be included in the manifesto for the 2019 parliamentary election.
“The party has lost its hold on the tea garden community and is trying with difficulty to get it back but without much success,” said an office-bearer.
He said the BJP-led government’s schemes of giving cash to the garden workers who have opened bank accounts, build pucca roads inside gardens and distribution of free meters for electricity connections are some of the measures that have lured the tea garden voters.
Another office-bearer said the Congress had failed to take serious note of the problems of the tea garden workers while it was in power, giving an opportunity to the BJP to create a space among the 60 lakh-strong community.
