- Counting for Assam assembly election concludes with BJP-led NDA seeking third term
- Votes counted across 126 constituencies at 40 centres secured by CAPF and police forces
- Congress fielded 99 candidates; BJP contested 90; other parties and 258 independents also ran
The battle for Assam reaches its conclusion on Monday as votes are counted in the state assembly election, deciding whether the BJP-led NDA secures a third consecutive term in power or the Congress-led opposition manages to mount a challenge after an intense campaign.
Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) across 126 assembly constituencies will be opened at 40 counting centres spread over all 35 districts of the state. Among the 722 candidates in the fray, 59 are women.
Nagaon district will have three separate counting centres, while Kokrajhar, Tinsukia and Jorhat will each have two. Twenty-five companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed to secure the counting centres and the strongrooms where the EVMs are stored. Authorities will additionally deploy 800 unarmed police personnel to transport the EVMs from the strongrooms to the counting halls.
Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Goel stated that two more CAPF companies will remain on static duty. Ninety-three companies of state armed police are already positioned in the districts. Eighty-five Assault Groups have also been mobilised to handle any untoward incidents on counting day.
How Parties Contested
Polling in Assam was conducted in a single phase on April 9. A turnout of 85.96 per cent was recorded among the more than 2.50 crore registered voters.
The Congress fielded the largest number of candidates with 99, followed by the BJP with 90. The AIUDF contested 30 seats, while NDA allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) put up 26 and Bodo Peoples' Front (BPF) 11. In the opposition alliance, Raijor Dal contested 13 seats, Assam Jatiya Parishad 10, CPI(M) three and All Party Hill Leaders Conference two.
Assam has completed extensive security and administrative preparations ahead of the counting of votes
Photo Credit: IANS
The Aam Aadmi Party and United People's Party Liberal each contested 18 seats, the TMC 22, and the JMM 16. There are also 258 independent candidates.
The Key Candidates
High-profile candidates whose fate will be decided on Monday include Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Congress state unit chief Gaurav Gogoi, assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, Raijor Dal chief and MP Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi. Several cabinet ministers are also contesting, among them AGP leaders Atul Bora and Keshav Mahanta, and BPF's Charan Boro.The ruling NDA in Assam comprises the BJP, AGP and BPF, with the latter having rejoined the alliance.
Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Gaurav Gogoi
Photo Credit: PTI
In the outgoing assembly, the BJP holds 64 seats, AGP nine, UPPL seven and BPF three. The opposition benches have Congress with 26, AIUDF 15, CPI(M) one and one Independent. The main opposition alliance consists of Congress, Raijor Dal, AJP, CPI(M), APHLC and CPI(ML).
What Exit Polls Said
Multiple exit polls released on Wednesday have projected a strong performance for the BJP-led NDA in Assam.
Axis My India forecast 88-100 seats for the NDA and 24-36 for Congress and its partners. People's Pulse predicted 68-72 for the NDA and 22-26 for Congress plus. Matrize gave the NDA 85-95 seats and the opposition 25-32. JVC projected 88-101 for BJP plus and 23-33 for Congress and allies.
Kamakhya Analytics estimated 85-95 for the NDA and 26-39 for the opposition, while People's Insight saw 88-96 for NDA and 30-34 for Congress. Poll Diary forecast 86-101 for NDA and 15-26 for Congress plus. The majority mark in the 126-member Assam assembly is 64.These projections come as part of a larger set of assembly elections whose results will be declared on Monday. In West Bengal, most exit polls showed an edge or victory for the BJP over the incumbent TMC, though two pollsters - People's Pulse and Janmat - predicted a comfortable win for Mamata Banerjee's party.
People's Pulse projected 177-187 seats for TMC, 95-110 for BJP, 0-1 for Left Front and 1-3 for Congress. Janmat forecast 195-205 for TMC and 80-90 for BJP. Other agencies such as Matrize, P-Marq, Poll Diary and Praja Poll gave the BJP between 142 and 208 seats.
West Bengal has 294 seats with a majority mark of 148.In Tamil Nadu, projections varied sharply. Some pollsters saw a clear win for the ruling DMK-led alliance, while Axis My India and Kamakhya Analytics predicted a hung house with actor-turned-politician Vijay's TVK playing a significant role.
The state has 234 seats and requires 118 for a majority.In Kerala, exit polls largely pointed to a Congress-led UDF victory after ten years, with projections placing UDF between 66 and 90 seats and LDF between 49 and 68 in the 140-member assembly that needs 71 for a majority.
In Puducherry, most forecasts indicated a return for the AINRC-led NDA government.
The BJP is seeking to retain power in Assam and Puducherry, where it governs in alliance with the All India NR Congress. Congress aims to dislodge the BJP in both states.
In Kerala, the UDF hopes to replace the LDF, while in Tamil Nadu the DMK-led alliance seeks re-election against the AIADMK-BJP combine and the debutant TVK. In West Bengal, the TMC is defending its hold against the BJP challenge.
