Guwahati: Counting of votes for Assam legislative assembly elections, held on 27 March, 1 and 6 April last, begins at 8 am and trends start coming. Initially the postal ballots are being counted and soon the EVMs will be opened. This time, the number of postal ballot users was high as the Election Commission authorised more citizens to exercise their franchises.
Assam has 126 assembly constituencies and elections were held in all seats. Polling exercises were performed following the Covid-19 protocols and hence it increased the number of polling booths and consume more time for each voter. The electorates showed over 80 % turn out in the three-phase polling exercises in a peaceful ambience. The ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is fighting the polls with its two major allies namely Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL). The opposition Congress formed alliance with All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist), Anchalik Gana Morcha (AGM), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) etc.
The saffron party, which is expected to return to power in Dispur, will create history by becoming the first non-Congress party to secure a consecutive term in Assam. Even with the then massive public supports, AGP could not return to power consecutively, even though it defeated the Congress in two occasions. Meanwhile, State chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday visited Assam medical college hospital in Dibrugarh to inspect the newly installed oxygen plants and take stock of the health infrastructure available there to deal with the covid-19 patients.
Sonowal also visited the ICMR-RMRC in Dibrugarh and held discussion with the senior doctors on the pandemic created challenges. Mentionable is that the ICMR-RMRC has been playing a very significant role in the fight against the pandemic. Sonowal claimed that the authority ensured adequate numbers of oxygen concentrators and supply across the State. He also added that Oil India Limited would extend supports in enhancing the oxygen generating capacities in Assam.
