The 126-member Assam assembly will go to the polls from March 27. For the first phase, a total of 267 contestants are in the fray for 47 constituency seats. Campaigning for the phase has been concluded on Thursday. The votes for all three phases of the election will be counted on May 2.

Here are the key constituencies and candidates to watch out for in the Phase-I election:

Majuli

Majuli assembly constituency is reserved for scheduled tribes. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will contest from this seat. Rajib Lochan Pegu of Congress will give a challenge to Sonowal from here. In the 2016 assembly election, Sonowal defeated Pegu by a margin of more than 18,000 votes. Bhaity Richong of the SUCI (Communist), Sishudar Doley of the Assam Jatiya Parishad and Purna Pegu, an Independent contestant; will also contest from Majuli.

Jorhat

Jorhat will witness a battle between Assam Assembly Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami of BJP and Rana Goswami of Congress. Hitendra defeated Rana in the 2016 polls by a margin of 69,209.

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

Gohpur

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Ripun Bora will be competing against Utpal Bora of BJP. Gohpur is currently held by Utpal, who defeated Monika Bora of Congress in the 2016 assembly election. 

Bihpuria

BJP’s Amiyo Kumar Bhuyan will be taking AICC secretary Bhupen Borah of Congress in Bihpuria. Currently, BJP’s Debananda Hazarika hold the seat, who defeated Borah by securing 66,563 votes. 

Lakhimpur

Manab Deka of BJP will be contesting against Dr Joy Prakash of Congress from the Lakhimpur assembly constituency. The seat is currently held by Utpal Datta of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), who defeated Joy Prakash Das of Congress by a margin of 4155 votes in 2016. 

As per the Election Commission of India, 23,244,454 are eligible to vote. 132,081 voters are differently-abled; 290,677 voters above 80 and 505,874 voters in the age group of 18-19 years.