Poll peaceful, 77% voter turnout in the second phase of Assam Assembly Election

STAFF REPORTER GUWAHATI:

Assam Election 2nd Phase Voting: Barring a few EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) glitches and sporadic incidents, polling in the 39 LACs (Legislative Assembly Constituencies) that went to poll in the second phase on Thursday is peaceful. The voters' turnout in this phase is around 77 per cent.

A number of ministers are also in fray in 2nd phase. Rebel candidates seem to be a genuine threat for a number of candidates in this phase. Around 73 lakh voters cast their votes to seal the fate of 345 candidates on Thursday.

From these 39 LACs, the BJP won 22, Congress won 6, AIUDF won 5, AGP won 2 and the BPF won 4 in the 2016 Assembly election.

The Barak Valley has 15 LACs. While the BJP won eight of the 15 LACs in the Valley, the Congress won 3 and the AIUDF 4 in the 2016.

However, with the Congress and the AIUDF getting into a huddle to put up a tough fight against the BJP in the Valley this time, the behaviour of the electorate there is something to watch keenly. In the Silchar LAC, the BJP is faced with a rebel candidate in party MLA Dilip Paul.

The BJP did sweep all the four LACs in Karbi Anglong in 2016. It may not be easing going for the ruling party in the hill district this time as it has denied tickets to three party MLAs of the district. The move has led to a number of rebel candidates for the ruling party there too.

A marked change in this phase of the poll is that the Barhampur constituency that had been held by the AGP (former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta) for the past 30 years has no AGP candidate in this poll. The regional party spared this prestigious seat for the BJP in their seat-sharing agreement. The degree of shifting of AGP votes to the BJP is something to be known on May 2 when the results will be declared.

The 39 LACs that went to poll on Thursday had four minister candidates – Parimal Suklabaidya, Rihon Daimary, Pijush Hazarika and Sum Ronghang. However, Ronghang fought the poll on a Congress ticket this time.

Also watch: ASSAM Votes 2021: Hojai constituency sitting MLA Shiladitya Dev Casts Vote

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