National Democratic Alliance poised to retain power in Assam

GUWAHATI:

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is set to retain power in Assam, securing a lead in 76 of the 126 Assembly seats till late Sunday evening.

The final rounds of counting in some seats continued till late evening but by 8pm the picture was clear, with BJP alone was leading in 60 seats, while its allies, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) were ahead in nine and seven seats respectively

The Congress-led Mahajot was however found wanting as far as the pre-poll predictions were concerned, after being restricted to 49 seats, with Congress leading in 30 seats, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in 15 and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) four.

But it was on expected lines that key leaders like Sarbananda Sonowal and Himanta Biswa Sarma would win by big margins in Majuli and Gohpur seats respectively, with Sarma securing a victory margin of more than 1.30 lakh votes.

AGP president Atul Bora too is likely to retain his Bokakhat seat after leading by a handsome margin. Similar is the case with BJP state president Ranjeet Kumar Dass leading in Patacharkuchi.

However Assam Congress chief Ripun Bora was heading for an embarrassing defeat, trailing behind BJP’s Utpal Bora in Gohpur constituency.

The biggest gain for the NDA apparently was the pre-poll tie-up with the Pramod Boro-led United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), which was leading in seven of the 12 seats in Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

UPPL had contested eight seats out of the 12 seats in BTR.

History is likely to be created in more than one count in BTR, with UPPL’s Lawrence Islary leading against six-time MLA and three-time minister Pramila Rani Brahma of Bodoland People’s Front (BPF).

Two other ministers of the BPF, Chandan Brahma and Rihon Daimary were trailing in their respective constituencies.

It may be mentioned that BPF had bagged all the 12 seats in the previous Assembly elections.  

Another likely significant outcome would be if jailed anti-CAA activist and Raijor Dal (a party formed just a few months ahead of the polls) president, Akhil Gogoi, who is leading in the Sibsagar seat, has the last laugh.

However, another newly formed regional party, Assam Jatiya Parishad, has cut a sorry figure, not being able to prevail in the seats it contested. AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi was trailing in the two seats – Duliajan or Naharkatiya – he contested.

Earlier, counting of votes for the Assam Assembly elections began amid strict COVID-19 protocols at 8am on Sunday starting with the counting of the 150,033 postal ballots across 52 postal ballot counting centres.

The early trends had favoured the BJP-led NDA and the trends remained the same more or less throughout the day, with the Congress-led Mahajot reducing the margin towards evening.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had banned all victory processions on or after the result day. 

Not more than two persons were allowed to accompany the winning candidate or his/her authorised representative to collect the certificate of election from the returning officer concerned.

(Edited by Christopher Gatphoh)

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