Guwahati (Assam), April 9: Assam on Thursday witnessed a massive 85% turn out of voters as the northeast Indian state goes to the Assembly election to elect 126 legislators on Thursday.
With this, the fate of 722 candidates has been sealed in the EVMs across the state. Immediately after the end of the voting, the polling officials have rushed to the authorities to submit the materials at their assigned strong rooms where counting would take place on May 4.
According to Election Commission sources, the turnout is around 85 till 6 in the evening. In many places voters are seen in long queues in front of polling booths even after the time expired.
Polling for the 126 assembly constituencies began at 7 in the morning simultaneously across 31,490 booths where 2,49,58,139 voters were expected to exercise their franchise.
Barring a few incidents of EVM malfunctioning in some places, there is no such report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the state.
The BJP-led NDA Government with Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma as Chief Minister is seeking mandate for the consecutive third term while the Congress party under the leadership of MP Gaurav Gogoi along with help of 4 other parties have been contesting to regain power after a period of 10 years.
Top candidates in the fray on Thursday include Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, MP and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi.
The Congress has fielded 99 candidates to be followed by the BJP with 90. Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) have fielded 26 and 11 candidates, respectively. The AIUDF is contesting in 30 seats,
Other parties in the fray include Raijor Dal (13), AJP (10), CPI(M) (3), APHLC (2), AAP (18), UPPL (18), Trinamool Congress (22), and JMM (16).
