Guwahati, Assam: In a strategic move to align with cultural traditions, the Assam government has formally requested the Election Commission of India (ECI) to expedite Lok Sabha elections, ideally before the widely celebrated Bohag Bihu festival, set to take place in the second week of April. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has underscored the cultural and agricultural significance of Bohag Bihu, urging the Election Commission to ensure timely polls to accommodate this festivity.
As the Election Commission of India (ECI) delegation embarks on a two-day visit to Assam, crucial discussions have unfolded with representatives from all political parties in the state. The commission has also engaged in dialogue with top officials from the police and administration to deliberate on various aspects of election management.
Assam, with its 14 Lok Sabha seats, is gearing up for its first election after the completion of the delimitation exercise last year. The freshly published integrated Draft Electoral Roll of Special Summary Revision (SSR) has unveiled a total of 2,43,02,460 electors in the state. Among them, 1,22,12,483 are male electors, 1,20,89,569 are female electors, and 408 belong to the third gender category. The state has witnessed an overall increase of 0.8%, with 1,90,717 additional electors.
The comprehensive photo electoral rolls have been made available across all 28,645 polling stations in Assam. This list has been shared with all recognized national and state political parties, fostering transparency in the electoral process. It’s noteworthy that the number of polling stations has increased from 28,205 to 28,645 after the delimitation exercise.
In the political landscape, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken early strides by declaring a list of 11 candidates for the upcoming elections. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, is set to contest from Dibrugarh. Assam Excise, Transport, and Fisheries Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, an influential Scheduled Caste leader in Barak Valley, will represent the BJP from the Silchar seat. The constituency, now reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates post-delimitation, currently serves as an MLA from Dholai.
Ranjit Dutta, a former party unit president and minister, is making his Lok Sabha debut by contesting from the Sonitpur seat. The Tezpur seat, post-delimitation, has transformed into Sonitpur and is currently held by BJP MP Pallab Lochan Das.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has expressed the BJP’s confidence in securing 11 out of the 14 seats in Assam. He anticipates competitive races in the remaining three seats. In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the BJP in Assam increased its seat tally from seven in 2014 to nine in 2019, contributing to the party’s overall success in Northeast India, where they secured 14 out of 25 seats.
The 2019 elections saw the BJP, along with its allies, achieving their best-ever performance in the Northeast, winning 18 out of 25 seats. As the political landscape evolves, the current National Democratic Alliance (NDA) aims to extend its dominance by targeting 22 seats in the Northeast, including one in Sikkim.
Reflecting on the 2019 results in Assam, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) secured one seat, Independents (Kokrajhar) clinched one, and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) failed to secure any. The Congress party emerged victorious in three seats.
With the electoral stage set, anticipation grows as Assam awaits the Election Commission’s decision on the poll schedule. The upcoming elections promise not only a democratic exercise but also a reflection of shifting political dynamics and alliances, making it an engaging electoral season for the state.
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