More than 66 per cent of the electorate voted in the first phase of polling in 62 of Assam's 126 Assembly constituencies on Monday.
Polling passed off peacefully, with no untoward incident or disruption reported from any constituency. Polling for the remaining seats is scheduled for April 11. The percentage is likely to go up, as voters stood in queue in at least 20 per cent of the booths even after polling ended at 3 p.m.
Polling began on a dull note in several constituencies in upper Assam because of rain, but picked up in the afternoon after the skies cleared.
However, no turnout was recorded in nine stations under the Haflong constituency in Dima Hasao district and in 16 stations of Ratabari in Karimganj district.
Returning Officer for Dima Hasao district Dilip Barthakur told The Hindu that the Indigenous People's Forum, a grouping of non-Dimasa organisations, issued a call for poll boycott to demand bifurcation of the hill district. These outfits have been making the demand since the name of the erstwhile North Cachar Hills district was changed to Dima Hasao. However, the call evoked only a partial response, with people turning up at 66 of the 75 stations where the Forum wields influence.
About 10,000 people in 16 stations of the Ratabari constituency did not vote to protest the “lack of development” in their areas bordering Mizoram.
Prominent among those whose fates were sealed in the first phase include Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and nine of his Cabinet colleagues, Speaker Tanka Bahadur Rai, Deputy Speaker Pranati Phukan, Bharatiya Janata Party State president Ranjit Dutta and the former Asom Gana Parishad Ministers, Hitendra Nath Goswami, Pradip Hazarika and Jagadish Bhuyan.
Speaking to journalists after voting, Mr. Gogoi said he was confident that his party would score a hat-trick, securing more seats this time round. In 2006, the Congress won 53 seats and formed a coalition government with the support of 11 legislators of the Bodoland People's Front. The Opposition Asom Gana Parishad, however, said the turnout indicated that the people wanted a non-Congress government.
