Poll campaign ends for Assam by-elections, 31 candidates in fray

Guwahati: Campaigning for by-elections in five Assam legislative assembly constituencies ended on Wednesday (October 27) evening and the silence period began from 5 pm, 72 hours before the end of polls on October 30. 

As per directions of the Election Commission of India, political parties are not allowed to convene, hold, attend, join, address public meetings or gatherings and organize bike rallies, processions, etc., with immediate effect in any of the poll-bound districts.

Altogether, 31 candidates are in the fray for the electoral battles. According to the State election authority, 39 nominations were found valid, and eight candidates withdrew their nominations. The ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded three newly inducted leaders who have abandoned Indian National Congress (INC) and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) a few weeks back.

Since Wednesday evening, the display of election matters through television or any other similar apparatus has also been prohibited. Additionally, it banned the propagation of any election matters through platforms such as musical concerts or any theatrical performances or any other form of entertainment, with a view of attracting public attention.

State chief electoral officer Nitin Khade informed that 7,96,456 general electors would exercise their franchise to elect their preferred candidates to the State legislative assembly from Gosaigaon, Bhabanipur, Tamulpur, Mariani and Thowra seats. Out of these, 4,03,374 are males, 3,93,078 females, 4 transgender people and 3,165 service voters. Moreover, there are 8,864 general electors above 80 years of age.

Meanwhile, the election authority informed that it is constantly trying to facilitate the PwD (Divyanga) voters for easy access to the
voting process. As a part of it, an android mobile application has been developed for voters to make the voting process comfortable.

Using the application ‘Divyanga Sarathi Nirvachan’, the Divyanga voters may apply online for transportation on poll day.

Gosaigaon constituency in western Assam will witness electoral battles among Jiron Basumatary (United People’s Party Liberal, a BJP ally), Jowel Tudu (INC), Dhruba Kumar Brahma Narzary (Bodoland People’s Front), Khairul Anam Khandakar (AIUDF) with a few independent candidates. Similarly, Phanidhar Talukdar (BJP, formerly with INC), Sailendra Nath Das (INC), Jubbar Ali (AIUDF), and some independent candidates will fight for the Bhabanipur seat. Jolen Daimary (UPPL), Bhaskar Dahal (INC), Brajendra Nath Deka (Gana Suraksha Party), with a few others are in the fray for the Tamulpur seat. Rupjyoti Kurmi (BJP, formerly with INC), Lohit Konwar (INC), Gopal Chandra Ghatowar (Asom Sangrami Mancha), etc., will fight for the Mariani seat. The Thowra constituency will witness electoral battles among Sushanta Borgohain (BJP, formerly with INC), Manoranjan Konwar (INC), Krishna Gogoi (Communist Party of India) with a few independent candidates.