Assam records 72.14% voting till 6 pm as first of 3-phase assembly polls ends

A voter turnout of 72.14% was recorded till 6 pm as the first of the three-phased assemebly election in Assam ended at around 6:40 pm on Saturday. Polling started at 7 am for the 126-member Assam assembly. More than 81 lakh voters across 47 constituencies will decide the fate of 267
contestants in the fray for this phase. 

In 2016, the BJP had won 35 of these 47 seats.

Seeking to overthrow the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal-led BJP government in the state, the Congress has this time formed a ‘mahajot’, or ‘grand alliance’ of five parties.

This Grand Alliance comprises the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)), the Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) Liberation and the Anchalik Gana Marcha (AGM).

Also Read | Assam Assembly Election 2021: Polling dates, candidates, numbers

The AIUDF is contesting 19 seats. In the 2016 assembly election, division of votes between the Congress and Ajmal’s party had led to the BJP winning over 20 seats.

The BJP is contesting the election in alliance with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL). the BJP is contesting 39 of the 47 seats in this phase and AGP 10. The two parties will have a “friendly contest” in two seats.

Also Read | Election fever: How BJP and Congress are wooing the voters in Assam

Though the verdict is a long way away, murmurs have started in the party over the possible chief minister candidates. Will it be the incumbent Sonowal or Congress-turned-BJP-politician Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is widely credited with the saffron party’s good show in the state.  

Also Read | Phase 1 of West Bengal elections: 30 constituencies to go to poll today

The second phase elections will be held on April 1 in 39 constituencies for which 345 candidates are in the fray. 

The 2016 assembly
election was held over two phases, with the voter turnout
recorded at 84.72% a new record for the state. There were 24,890 polling
stations spread across the 50 districts of the state.

A total of
1,064 candidates contested the election, including 122 from the Congress, 89
from the BJP, 74 from the AIUDF, 30 from Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), 13 from the
Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), 15 from CPI, 19 from CPI(M), 205 from other parties
and 497 as independent candidates.