Guwahati: The state is set for the second phase polling of Assam legislative assembly elections, scheduled for 1 April, as the campaigning came to end last evening. The fate of 345 candidates including 26 women will be decided by over 73 lakh voters in this phase covering 39 assembly constituencies including 15 seats in the sensitive Barak valley.
According to the election authority, among 73,44,631 electors in this phase there are 37,34,537 males, 36,09,959 females and 135 transgenders. The constituency with the highest number of electors is Hojai (2,65,886 voters) and the lowest one Howraghat (1,32,339 electors). The poling time is fixed on 7 am to 6 pm.
Most constituencies will witness the straight battle between the BJP led alliance and the opposition-led Mohajoat (grand alliance). For the ruling alliance, State ministers Parimal Suklabaidya, Bhabesh Kalita, Pijush Hazarika, assembly deputy speaker Aminul Haque Laskar, saffron legislators Numal Momin, Rupak Sarma will seek re -elections from their respective constituencies.
For the opposition alliance, Congress leaders Siddique Ahmed, Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, Sum Ronghang, Santanu Sarma, Bodoland People’s Front leader Rihon Daimary, All India United Democratic Front leader Sirajuddin Ajmal etc would also seek voter’s mandates. State chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal yesterday addressed a series of poll rallies at Dholai, Ratabari, North Karimganj, Sonai, Silchar
and Udarbond. In his address, the saffron leader asserted that the BJP led government in Dispur worked tirelessly for safeguarding the lives and properties, pride and prestige of all sections of the people cutting across the language, caste, creed and community.
He criticised the Congress leaders alleging that during their tenure the crime, hatred, corruption, nepotism plagued the State. There was strife in the name of ethnicity, religion etc which dented the secular edifice, stated Sonowal adding that the Congress government even after being in power for nearly 70 years did not try to increase the wage of tea plantation workers substantially.
Addressing a number of poll rallies, State minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the assurances of BJP as increasing the Orunadoi scheme amount from rupees 830 to 3000 per month, the waiving off microfinance loan to 50 percent, assurance for jobs, two-wheelers for youths and other infrastructures in rural Assam.
