Akhil Gogoi Demands Re-poll in Karimganj and Kokrajhar Over Vote Discrepancies, Calls for United Opposition in Assam Panchayat Election

LAKHIMPUR: Raijor Dal president-cum-Sivsagar LAC MLA Akhil Gogoi demanded to hold re-poll in No. 7 Karimganj HPC and No. 1 Kokrajhar HPC because of the alleged discrepancies and differences detected in polled votes, counted votes of recent Lok Sabha Poll in both constituencies.

He raised this demand while addressing a press conference convened at North Lakhimpur Press Club on Tuesday. In this connection Akhil Gogoi said, “Discrepancy detected in polled votes and counted votes in Karimganj HPC. A total of 11,36,538 votes were polled in the constituency as per Election Commission data. But on the result day, the number of votes counted in the constituency is 11,40,349. On that day, 3811 more votes were counted in the constituency.

It should be noted here that, according to information available on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam, a total of 11,36,538 people, excluding the service voters, had cast their votes in Karimganj HPC, the polling of which was held in the second phase of elections on April 26. However, the uploaded result sheet (Form 20) on CEO site says that the total number of votes polled on EVM was 11,40,349. In this HPC, Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury lost to the BJP’s sitting MP Kripanath Mallah by 18,360 votes.  On the other hand, a total of 10,760 votes had not been counted in Kokrajhar HPC on the result day according to Akhil Gogoi. He said that a total of 12,40, 306 votes were polled in Kokrajhar constituency while the number of votes counted was 12,29,546.

Notably, according to Election Commission of India website, a total of 12,41,494 votes were polled in Kokrajhar constituency. Out of this, 12,29,546 votes were EVM votes while 11,950 were ballot votes.

In the same press conference, Akhil Gogoi called upon the 16 political parties of Assam to contest unitedly in the upcoming Assam Panchayat Election. In this regard, the Raijor Dal president said, “The people of Assam cast their votes against “communal politics” in the Lok Sabha Poll-2024. In the Lok Sabha Poll, voters of Assam showed their trust upon the opposition. Under such circumstances, if the political parties of the Opposition Forum contest in the Panchayat Election separately, the people of Assam might lose the faith and trust. So, I, as the president of the Raijor Dal, have declared the stand of our party regarding the Panchayat Election and called upon the 16 political parties of the Opposition Forum, like Congress, Assam Jatiya Parishad, CPI, CPI (M), CPI (ML), Trinamool Congress, including those political parties who did not contest in the Lok Sabha Poll as a member of Opposition Forum, to contest in the Panchayat Election unitedly. We must set this example to dethrone the present dictatorial government of Assam, led by Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma. The Panchayat Election-2024 will be the crucial step of the Opposition Forum to defeat BJP in 2026 for the interest of Assam, Assamese community, for a comprehensive democratic environment in the State, to save the Assamese people from price hike, communalism, and to lead them in the real path of development”.

Akhil Gogoi further criticized AGP and UPPL for showing no courage to demand for the inclusion of any MP in the Union Cabinet as the members of NDA at time when two certain political parties of the alliance managed to include their MP in the Union Cabinet despite having one MP each. He remarked that the Union Cabinet formed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday could not secure the indigenous, nationalistic interest of Assam.  Referring to Gruesome murder of JJM contractor-cum-local BJP leader Sunil Gogoi in Dhakuakhana eleven days back, Akhil Gogoi said that Assam police has still failed to arrest the killers and locate the chopped head of the deceased. “It is also the failure of Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma as Home Minister of the State. So, we demand his step down as Home Minister in this connection.

Notably, Akhil Gogoi arrived in Lakhimpur on Tuesday to be present before the court in connection with a case which was registered in North Lakhimpur Police Station vide No. 354/2013/US-109/116/112/120(B)/121 IPC. After attending the court, he addressed the press conference in the presence of several dignitaries of the Raijor Dal and brother-sister organizations of the political party.

Also Read: Assam: Manipur Violence Displaces 2,000, Forces Hundreds to Seek Shelter in Cachar

Also Watch: