Assam assembly elections: BJP’s Himanta Biswa Sarma vs Congress’ Gaurav Gogoi; key candidates to watch on May 4 | India News
New Delhi: The political battle for Assam will enter its decisive phase on Monday with counting of votes, determining whether the BJP-led NDA will win a third consecutive term or the Congress will make a comeback after a high-voltage campaign centered on identity politics, welfare delivery and regional aspirations.A total of 722 candidates are contesting in 126 assembly constituencies. Congress fielded the highest number of candidates with 99 followed by BJP with 90. AIUDF has 30 candidates, while NDA allies Assam Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodo People’s Front (BPF) have fielded 26 and 11 candidates respectively.Among other players, Raijo’s party contested 13 seats, Assam National Parishad (AJP) 10, CPI(M) three and All Party Hill Leaders’ Conference (APHLC) two. Aam Aadmi Party and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) contested 18 seats each, Trinamool Congress 22 and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) 16. There are also 258 independent candidates.
High-profile faces on the field
Several key leaders, including the Chief Minister, will decide their electoral fate on May 4 Himanta Biswa SharmaCongress state president Gaurav Gogoi, AGP’s Atul Bora, Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimari, Leader of Opposition Debbrat Saikia, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, Raijor party leader Akhil Gogoi and AJP chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi.Sarma is contesting for the third consecutive term from Jalukbari, a seat he has represented multiple times. In the 2021 election, he won by a record margin of 130,762 votes and 73.52% vote share against Congress candidate Romain Chandra Borthakur.Gaurav Gogoi, a shifter from national to state politics, is contesting from Jorhat and is seen as a key face of Congress’ push to reclaim land in upper Assam.In Tamulpur, Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimari’s performance will be closely watched as a test of the BJP-UPPL alliance in the Bodoland Territorial Region. Devabrata wants to retain Saikia Nazira, a constituency long associated with his family’s political legacy.AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal is contesting from Binnakandi, seeking to consolidate minority votes, while in Sibsagar, Akhil Gogoi continues to be a strong Trinamool figure, winning the seat as an independent in 2021 with 57,219 votes.Lurinjyoti is contesting from Gogoi Khoang, seeking to convert student-led regional mobilization into electoral success. Meanwhile, AGP president Atul Bora is contesting from Bokakhat and senior minister Keshav Mahant is contesting from Kaliabor.In Majaba, BPF’s Charan Bodo is trying to revive the party’s influence in the Bodo belt, making it another closely watched contest.The BJP-led NDA includes the AGP and the BPF as key allies, while the opposition bloc includes the Congress, Raizor Dal, AJP, CPI(M), APHLC and CPI(ML).In the outgoing assembly, BJP has 64 seats with allies AGP (9), UPPL (7) and BPF (3). The opposition includes Congress (26), AIUDF (15), CPI(M) (1) and an independent MLA.
Strict security for calculations
Counting will take place at 40 centers in 35 districts amid tight security. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) containing the votes of 2.5 crore voters will be opened under strict surveillance.Twenty-five companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have been deployed to guard the counting centers and strongrooms, while around 800 additional unarmed policemen will help transport the EVMs. Authorities have deployed 93 companies of state armed police and 85 assault groups to deal with any untoward incident.Counting will be conducted in three centers in Nagaon, while two each in Kokrajhar, Tinsukia and Jorhat. Voting for the assembly elections was held on April 9, with 85.96 percent voter turnout. 59 of the candidates are women.
