Assam Assembly Elections: Turnout Reaches 38.92% in First Four Hours

A voter turnout of 38.92 per cent was recorded in the first four hours of the Assam Assembly elections, where the BJP-led NDA is aiming for a third consecutive term, while the Congress is seeking to regain a state it lost a decade ago.

Polling began at 7 am for the 126-member Assembly, and 38.92 per cent of the state’s 2.5 crore voters had cast their ballots by 11 am, officials said.

A total of 722 candidates are in the fray, with the contest largely shaping up as a direct battle between the BJP-led ruling coalition and the Congress-led opposition bloc.

Dudhnoi in Goalpara district recorded the highest turnout in the first four hours at 44.57 per cent, while Dispur in Kamrup (Metro) saw the lowest at 30.70 per cent, officials said.

This is the first Assembly election in the state after the 2023 delimitation exercise, which redrew Assam’s electoral map.

Despite rain in several parts of the state, voters began queuing outside polling booths early in the morning.

Among prominent candidates who have cast their votes so far are state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi in Jorhat, Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia in Nazira, Union minister Pabitra Margherita in Jorhat, Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Gogoi in Khowang, and BJP’s Pradyut Bordoloi.

State ministers who have voted so far include Ranoj Pegu in Dhemaji, Ajanta Neog in Golaghat, Ranjeet Kumar Das in Bhabanipur-Sorbhog, Bimal Bora in Tingkhong, Pshanta Phukan in Dibrugarh, and Jayanta Malla Baruah in Nalbari.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accompanied by his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma and children Nandil and Sukanya, offered prayers at the Kamakhya Temple atop the Nilachal Hills before heading out to vote.

Voting is underway at 31,490 polling stations across 35 districts, with polling scheduled to conclude at 5 pm.

The Congress has fielded the highest number of candidates at 99, followed by the BJP with 90. The AIUDF has 30 candidates, while NDA allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) are contesting 26 and 11 seats, respectively.

Within the opposition bloc, Raijor Dal is contesting 13 seats, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) 10, CPI(M) 3, and APHLC 2. Other parties in the fray include AAP (18), UPPL (18), TMC (22), JMM (16), along with 258 Independents.

Algapur-Katlicherra and Karimganj South have the highest number of candidates at 15 each, while nine constituencies—Rangia, Jagiroad (SC), Hojai, Naduar, Jonai (ST), Doomdooma, Mahmora, Teok, and Lakhipur—have only two candidates each.

(with PTI inputs)