UpdateBot at 18:55, 3 April 2022

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{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{onesource|date=April 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date = January 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date = January 2019}}

{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Debabrata Saikia
| image = Debabrata Saikia.png
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1964|12|14}}
| birth_place = [[Nazira]], [[Assam]], [[India]]
| office = [[Leader of the Opposition]]<br />[[Assam Legislative Assembly]]
| term_start = 20 May 2014
| 1blankname = [[List of Chief Ministers of Assam|Chief Minister]]
| 1namedata =
| predecessor = [[Prafulla Kumar Mahanta]]
| term_start1 =
| term_end1 =
| 1blankname1 = [[List of Chief Ministers of Assam|Chief Minister]]
| 1namedata1 =
| termstart2 =
| office2 = [[Assam Legislative Assembly|Member of the Assam Legislative Assembly]]
| constituency2 = [[Nazira (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Nazira]]
| predecessor2 = [[Drupad Borgohain]]
| term_start2 = 13 May 2011
| nationality = [[India]]n
| spouse = Bandana Saikia
| father = [[Hiteswar Saikia]]
| party = [[Indian National Congress]]
| children = 2
| residence = [[Guwahati]]
| education = [[Calcutta University]]
| occupation = Politician
| website = {{URL|http://www.debabratasaikia.in/}}
| order =
| mother = [[Hemoprova Saikia]]
}}
'''Debabrata Saikia''' ([[Assamese language|Assamese]]: দেবব্ৰত শইকীয়া; born 14 December 1964) is an Assamese politician. He is the [[incumbent]] [[Leader of the Opposition|Leader of Opposition]] in the [[Assam Legislative Assembly]]. Saikia was elected to the Assam Legislative Assembly in [[2011 Assam Legislative Assembly election|2011]] from [[Nazira (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Nazira]] constituency. He was reelected in both [[2016 Assam Legislative Assembly election|2016]] and [[2021 Assam Legislative Assembly election|2021]]. He is the son of [[Hiteswar Saikia]] and [[Hemoprova Saikia]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Nazira Assembly Constituency Election Result - Legislative Assembly Constituency |url=https://resultuniversity.com/election/nazira-assam-assembly-constituency#2011 |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=resultuniversity.com}}</ref>

==Early and personal life==
Saikia was born on 14 December 1964, at Nazira, Sivasagar, Assam. He is the son of former [[Chief Minister of Assam]], [[Hiteswar Saikia]] and former minister [[Hemoprova Saikia]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Debabrata Legacy Karmoshri Hiteshwar Saikia|url=https://www.debabratasaikia.in/debabrata-legacy-karmoshri-hiteshwar-saikia/|access-date=2021-08-25|website=Debabrata Saikia|language=en-US}}</ref> Sri Saikia had completed his graduation in Arts from Calcutta University. He married Smti Bandana Saikia. Saikia and his wife have two children, Luit and Krishnika.

==Political career==
Sri Saikia became the General Secretary of Assam Pradesh Youth Congress Committee in the year 1992–93 and the Self-Employed Review Committee formed by Assam Pradesh Youth Congress in 1992–93. He had been the Vice President of Assam Pradesh Youth Congress from 1993 to 1996. He had been appointed as State Convener of Bichar Bibhag by the All India Congress Committee in 1994. He also served as a Convener, North East Congress Seva Dal in 1995–96.

He became the [[Indian National Congress]] candidate for [[Nazira (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Nazira]] in the [[2011 Assam Legislative Assembly election|2011 Assam Legislative Assembly Election]]. He received 52510 votes, 63.4% of the total vote. He defeated the [[incumbent]] [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)|Communist Party]] [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]], [[Drupad Borgohain]], by 33810 votes.

In the [[2016 Assam Legislative Assembly election|2016 Assam Legislative assembly election]], Debabrata Saikia was able to retain his seat comfortably as an MLA from Nazira Constituency after a big storm of PARIBARTAN created by BJP. He received 52869 votes, 53.77% of the total vote. He defeated his nearest opponent by 14855 votes. Although the Congress Party lost the election due to a huge anti-incumbent backlash, Mr. Saikia had emerged as a big leader within the party and as well as in Assam politics after his big win in his own constituency. As almost all the senior leader had been defeated in their own constituency (except [[Tarun Gogoi]], [[Ajanta Neog]] & [[Rakibul Hussain]]), Mr. Saikia had the most probable chance to become the leader of the opposition. After that defeat, a voice of changing the leaders within the Congress Party was strongly raised. To maintain the unity within the party and giving importance of his capability of hardworking and dedication, the party high command made him the Leader of Opposition of [[Assam Legislative Assembly]]. He was relatively young and was acceptable to most of the 26 Congress MLAs who managed to win. Saikia's appointment came into effect on 3 June 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Inc|first=Algoritmi Vision|title=Debabrata Saikia - Summarized by Plex.page {{!}} Content {{!}} Summarization|url=https://plex.page/Debabrata_Saikia|access-date=2021-08-25|website=Plex.page}}</ref>

According to a popular blog platform [[DailyO]] from the [[India Today Group]], Debabrata Saikia is the smartest choice for Congress in Assam, because of his low profile and measured visibility has managed to keep him politically fresh in the public psyche.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Why Debabrata Saikia is the smartest choice for Congress in Assam|url=https://www.dailyo.in/politics/debabrata-saikia-assam-congress-bjp-himanta-biswa-sarma-gaurav-tarun-gogoi/story/1/10957.html|access-date=2021-08-25|website=www.dailyo.in}}</ref>

In the [[2021 Assam Legislative Assembly election]], Saikia received 52387 votes., 47.56% of the total vote. He narrowly retained his seat by 683 votes.<ref name=":3" />

Saikia lost the position of [[Leader of the Opposition]] in the [[Assam Legislative Assembly|Assembly]]. The change came into effect on 1 January 2021. This happened after [[Ajanta Neog]] and [[Rajdeep Goala|Rajdeep Gowala]] joined [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] and 2 other congress [[Member of the Legislative Assembly|MLAs]] - [[Tarun Gogoi]] and [[Pranab Kumar Gogoi|Pranab Gogoi]] died. This reduced the number of [[Indian National Congress|congress]] [[Member of the Legislative Assembly|MLAs]] from 24 to 20, one less than the required number of 21.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Desk|first=Sentinel Digital|date=2021-01-04|title=Congress leader Debabrata Saikia loses Leader of Opposition position in Assam Assembly - Sentinelassam|url=https://www.sentinelassam.com/north-east-india-news/assam-news/congress-leader-debabrata-saikia-loses-leader-of-opposition-position-in-assam-assembly-519484|access-date=2021-08-25|website=www.sentinelassam.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|others=Special Correspondent|date=2021-01-05|title=Congress MLA Debabrata Saikia loses status of Leader of Opposition in Assam Assembly|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/congress-mla-debabrata-saikia-loses-status-of-leader-of-opposition-in-assam-assembly/article33499103.ece|access-date=2021-08-25|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> However he was reinstated after he appealed to [[Gauhati High Court|Guwahati High Court]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Debabrata Saikia reinstated as leader of the opposition - INSIDE NE|url=https://www.insidene.com/debabrata-saikia-reinstated-as-leader-of-the-opposition/|access-date=2021-08-25|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|others=Special Correspondent|date=2021-02-04|title=Debabrata Saikia reinstated as Assam Opposition leader|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/debabrata-saikia-reinstated-as-assam-opposition-leader/article33744233.ece|access-date=2021-08-25|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

==Social Activities==
Shri Saikia set up Swarna Jayanti Children's Park at Charaideo for children for education through entertainment on 30 January 2009. With a motto to "Bring SMILE" in association with YSW (Youth for Social Welfare) Saikia conducted Free Plastic Surgery Camps jointly with Interplast Germany, a global humanitarian organization.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Assam Legislative Assembly - Member|url=http://assamassembly.gov.in/debabrata-saikia.html|access-date=2021-08-25|website=assamassembly.gov.in}}</ref> More than 500 children and poor patients to date were treated for cleft lips, cleft palate, burn contractures, etc. since 1994. Presently, the Assam Government has made the "Smile project" a major government project. He also conducts some free distribution programs of items of necessity to people below the poverty line in many minority and tea-belt areas.<ref name=":0" /> In his early days, before entering politics, he used to conduct awareness programs for various self-help groups for their development and operations. Currently, Mr. Saikia has launched a new initiative called JAGARON ([http://www.jagaron.in/ www.jagaron.in]) to connect the people from all over the state and to listen to their day-to-day problems. Through this initiative, he is also trying to portray the issues of every household directly to the Government from the bench of the Leader of the opposition. In this initiative, he also keeps space for the youth who want to learn about digital media and campaign support.

== References ==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Saikia, Debabrata}}
[[Category:1964 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of the Assam Legislative Assembly]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Assam]]
[[Category:Assam MLAs 2016–2021]]
[[Category:Leaders of the Opposition in Assam]]
[[Category:People from Sivasagar district]]
[[Category:Assam MLAs 2011–2016]]

Debabrata Saikia - Revision history

UpdateBot at 18:55, 3 April 2022