Assam: Stage set for by-elections to five assembly seats
A total of 34 candidates are in the fray with most of them being first-timers, according to the Election Commission.
GUWAHATI- Assam is ready for the by-elections in five assembly constituencies Dholai, Sidli, Bongaigaon, Behali and Samaguri where polling will take place on Wednesday. These seats fell vacant with their MLAs winning the Lok Sabha elections.
A total of 34 candidates are in the fray with most of them being first-timers, according to the Election Commission.
Around 9,000 polling personnel have been engaged to ensure smooth voting across 1,078 polling stations in the five seats, Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Goel told news agency PTI.
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A total of 13 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), comprising about 1,300 personnel, have been deployed for the by-elections, Goel said.
“To have a fair election, we will have webcasting in 55 per cent of the polling booths. The remaining booths that will not be covered by webcasting will be physically monitored by micro observers, who are central government employees” he added.
Clashes between BJP and Congress supporters have been reported almost on a daily basis in Samaguri since the bypoll was announced. A number of complaints have been filed by both sides before the Election Commission.
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In Samaguri, the Congress has fielded Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain’s son Tanzil against Diplu Ranjan Sarma of BJP.
Hussain, who won the Dhubri Lok Sabha seat by a record margin of over 10.12 lakh votes, was the MLA of Samaguri for five consecutive terms before becoming a parliamentarian.Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma slammed the Congress for nominating Tanzil, maintaining that the dynastic politics of the opposition party was preventing talented youths from joining politics.
The Congress hit back, pointing to the nomination of Diptimayee Choudhury in Bongaigaon by BJP ally Asom Gana Parishad.She is the wife of AGP MP Phani Bhusan Choudhury, who represented Bongaigaon for eight consecutive terms since 1985 before stepping into Parliament for the first time earlier this year.
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This bypoll also cracked the 16-party opposition alliance in Assam over the candidate selection for Behali with Congress deciding to field its own nominee at the last moment, disagreeing with the bloc’s resolution to leave the seat for CPI(ML) Liberation.
Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi was adamant about not leaving the seat and remained there during the entire campaign period to seek votes for party candidate Jayanta Borah.
To counter Gogoi’s thrust, CM Sarma addressed two public meetings and held a roadshow in support of BJP nominee Diganta Ghatowal.
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Apart from Borah and Ghatowal, Lakhikanta Kurmi of CPI(ML) Liberation and Ananta Gogoi of AAP are also in the fray in Behali.
In Dholai in Barak valley, BJP candidate Nihar Ranjan Dasis is likely to face a tough challenge from Congress candidate Dhrubajyoti Purkayastha.
The contest in Sidli in Bodoland Territorial Region has reached an interesting point with Congress putting up a candidate after more than 20 years.
A three-cornered fight is in the offing between Sanjib Warie of Congress, Nirmal Kumar Brahma of United People’s Party Liberal and Suddho Kumar Basumatary of Bodoland People’s Front.
Of these five seats, only one was with the Congress, while the remaining four were represented by the BJP-led alliance.
