He is the seniormost politician in the two hill districts of Assam. But age has failed to stop him from contesting elections.

It will be 74-year-old Biren Singh Engti’s eighth straight Lok Sabha polls from Autonomous District constituency on April 18, which he has won seven times.

This time it might not be easy for the veteran Congressman as both autonomous district councils — NC Hills and Karbi Anglong — are in the hands of the ruling BJP and his age is a huge talking point among voters, something he claims is not a factor.

“I always feel that I am as young as a college boy, capable of completing any difficult chapter in the shortest time,” he said.

Diphu goes to the polls in the second phase on April 18. There are five candidates in the fray.

Law graduate Engti joined the Congress, contested elections and became the first parliamentarian from the constituency in 1972. Engti was re-elected from Diphu for the second and third consecutive term. He was then defeated by Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) candidate Jayanta Rangpi in 1990. Division in the ASDC in 2000 paved Engti’s way to New Delhi for another three terms in 2004, 2009 and 2014.

For most of the Congress workers, however, Engti is too old now. For them, such a candidate will not be able to travel a long way during campaigning.

“I do not feel that travelling the three subdivisions and Dima Hasao district headquarters Haflong will be a physical problem for me. I am used to travelling long distances in a car. I know I must travel more and will have to address several meetings and rallies on a single day. I am fully prepared for that,” he said.

Engti on Tuesday said he dislikes people’s questions regarding his age.

“We have several leading personalities like Tarun Gogoi and Mallikajun Kharge who are older than me. People always highlight the age issue. Politics requires maturity and dedication. Age is no bar,” he said.

Engti is known as the parliamentarian from Assam who speaks less in the house. A recent report brought to light that Engti has not placed a single question in the last five years.

“There was speculation among state and district-level leaders on looking for an alternative because of his old age. When asked, Engti assured us that he can face the elections beautifully despite his age,” a high-level Congress source in Haflong said.

Diphu parliamentary constituency has over seven lakh voters, most of who are tribals. Karbis and Dimasas are the major tribes who play an influential role in the politics of the two hill districts.

For most of the Diphu voters, the Sixth Schedule, implementation of the clauses in the two MoUs signed by the Centre with Dimasa and Karbi militant outfits, misrule of the BJP-led council, under-development, backwardness and illiteracy are the main election issues.

“We want a good, dynamic, dedicated leader who can bring forward the issues of the two hill districts in the right place at the right time,” Man Singh Rangfar, a Hauraghat shopkeeper, said.

Other significant candidates from the constituency this time include the ASDC’s Holiram Terang and former United People’s Democratic Solidarity general secretary Haren Singh Bey. “Our party has a strong base in the two districts. The autonomous state issue is a dream of the people of the region,” ASDC leader Jotson Bey said.