Assam sees over 80.96% voter turnout in phase 2

The second phase of Assembly elections in Assam on Thursday reported 80.96 per cent voting when polling for 39 of the state's 126 seats was conducted.

A total of 346 candidates were in the fray in the constituencies situated in Bengali-dominated Barak Valley in South Assam, central Assam and parts of western Assam.

Polling was slow in the morning hours owing to rains and thunderstorms at several places and only 15.78 per cent people cast their votes by 11 am. The polling, however, picked up in the afternoon and 63.03 per cent votes were registered by 3 pm.

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Assam forest and environment minister Parimal Suklabaidya (Dholai), junior health minister Pijush Hazarika (Jagiroad), Bhabesh Kalita (Rangia) and deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar (Sonai) were some of the prominent names who contested in the second phase of elections.

Leaders of the ruling BJP, which fielded 34 seats in the second phase were confident since morning.

"We will win 12 of 14 seats we are contesting in Barak Valley," BJP MP from Silchar, Rajdeep Roy said after casting his vote.

Barak Valley comprising Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts has 15 Assembly seats and was the focus of the second phase of elections. In 2016, BJP had won eight seats where Bengali Hindus are dominant, while Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF won four and Congress got three where Bengali-speaking Muslims are deciding factors.

BJP hoped that the CAA would help them retain the seats in Bengali Hindu-dominated areas. Congress' anti-CAA stand could help in rest of the seats.

"BJP and its allies has no chance in the second and the third phase. In the first phase also we will win more than 20 seats. The Mahajot (the opposition grand alliance) will surely form the government," Ajmal said after casting his vote in Hojai in central Assam, where the demography is almost similar to Barak Valley.

Five Assembly seats in three tribal-dominated hill districts in central Assam, Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao were another focus areas for both BJP and the Opposition camps.

BJP in 2016 had bagged all five seats but this time they changed four candidates fearing anti-incumbency. Congress tried their best to wrest the seats by promising to create an autonomous state, a long demand in the region.

The fight was equally tough between candidates belonging to the Congress-led grand alliance and BJP and its allies in the rest of the seats in central Assam (Nagaon, Morigaon, Hojai districts) and parts of western Assam (Kamrup, Udalguri, Darrang).

BJP got a shot in the arm when Ram Das Basumatary, a Bodoland People's Front (BPF) candidate in Tamulpur quit the party and joined BJP amid the polling.
Polling for 47 seats was conducted in the first phase on March 27. Elections for the remaining 40 seats is scheduled on April 6.