The fate of five ministers, the deputy speaker and a few significant opposition faces will be decided as 39 seats in Assam go to the polls in the second phase on Thursday.
In all, 345 candidates, including 26 women, are in the fray in this phase, the polling for which will be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. amid heavy security and strict COVID-19 guidelines.
Elections to the 126-member Assam assembly are being held in three-phases with 79.97% of the electorate exercising their franchise in 47 constituencies in the first phase on March 27. The third and final phase elections will be held on April 6 for 40 seats.
Here are the live updates:
Will reach majority mark from results of first 2 phases, says Congress
The Congress on Thursday claimed that the alliance led by it will reach the majority mark of 64 in the 126-member Assam Assembly from the results of the first two phases of the election as the people of the State have responded to its "positive campaign".
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, AICC spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said that the Congress-led Grand Alliance is on track to achieve its target of winning 101 seats in the elections.
The Congress, which was in power for 15 years in Assam since 2001, has formed a Grand Alliance with the AIUDF, BPF, Left parties, the RJD and others to fight the Assembly election against the BJP-led NDA.
At 5 p.m., the voter turn-out for the second phase of the Assembly polls in the State stood at 73.03%
As many as 63.04 per cent of 73.45 lakh electors voted till 3 pm in 39 assembly seats in second phase of polling.
e-rickshaw facility for senior citizens, saplings gifted to first voters in Cachar
The Cachar district administration has provided e-rickshaw facility to senior citizens having difficulty in mobility for travelling to the polling stations to cast their votes in the second phase of Assam assembly elections held on Thursday.
Cachar Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli also said that the administration has gifted saplings to first male, female and senior citizen voters in many polling stations.
"The e-rickshaw facility has been provided to 60-plus voters in Cachar especially to those who have difficulty in mobility. They are also being felicitated for exercising their franchise," Jalli told PTI.
EC issues show cause notice to BJP leader Sarma for remarks against Mohilary
The Election Commission on Thursday issued a show cause notice to Assam minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma for allegedly making threatening remarks against opposition leader Hagrama Mohilary of the Bodoland People's Front.
He has been asked to respond to the notice by 5 pm on April 2.
The Congress had approached the EC alleging that Sarma had threatened to send Mohilary to jail by misusing the NIA.
As many as 48.26 per cent of 73.45 lakh voters exercise their franchise till 1 pm in 39 assembly seats where polling is underway in second phase. _ PTI
People in Assam have shown Congress-led alliance "red card": PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday the people of Assam have shown the "red card" to the Congress-led Grand Alliance in the State.
He also accused the previous Congress governments of being a mute spectator to unbridled violence in the Bodo dominated areas of the State.
"People of Assam have given their blessings to the NDA in first phase of assembly poll. Football is a popular sport in Assam. In football parlance, the people of Assam have shown the Congress-led alliance the red card," he said addressing an election rally at Bijni in Kokrajhar.
Mr. Modi alleged the Congress governments in the State and at the Centre did nothing to check violence in Bodo areas.
"In the long years of its rule, the Congress threw Bodoland into bomb, gun and blockade culture. The NDA gifted Bodoland peace and respect," he said. -
EVM glitches delays voting at Nirtamoyee Balika Vidyalaya polling booth in Silchar constituency, Nowgong Law College booth in Nowgong constituency, and in Kamalpur constituency.
Till 11 a.m., 27.45% voter turnout has been recorded, according to the CEO office.
Women turn out in large numbers in morning hours, overall situation peaceful
Long queues were seen outside most of the booths as women stepped out in large numbers during the early hours of polling at 39 seats in the second phase of the assembly elections in Assam.
Though there were reports of EVM glitches from some polling stations, the exact figure was yet to be ascertained, an official said.
At most of the places, people were seen following COVID-19 guidelines such as wearing masks and maintaining social distance.
Sanitisers were made available at all the booths, while temperatures were being checked with thermal scanners.
Several constituencies received heavy overnight showers but the weather cleared in the morning, helping record the significant turnout in the initial hours, they said. - PTI
Assam has recorded a voter turnout of 10.51% till 9 a.m. in 39 assembly seats where polling is underway.
PM urges people to vote in large numbers
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged people to vote in large numbers in the second phase of assembly polls in Assam to strengthen the festival of democracy.
"Second phase of the Assam polls takes place today. Requesting all eligible voters of this phase to strengthen the festival of democracy by exercising their franchise," he wrote on Twitter. - PTI
Polling begins for 39 seats
Polling began at 7 am on Thursday for 39 seats in the second phase of assembly elections in Assam amid tight security, officials said.
The fate of 345 candidates, including 26 women, is being decided by over 73.44 lakh voters in this phase.
Among those contesting the elections in this phase are five ministers and the deputy speaker of the outgoing House.
The polling will continue till 6 p.m. as the duration has been extended by an hour to ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols. - PTI
In second phase of polls, a test for pro-CAA sentiment
Phase two of Assam polls is expected to be a test for the pro-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) sentiment in the Bengali-dominated Barak Valley in contrast to the first phase of polling across 47 seats in the Assamese-dominated Brahmaputra Valley, where anti-CAA emotions had run high more than a year ago.
Barak Valley has 15 of the 39 phase two seats. Eight of this are Hindu-majority and seven are Muslim-dominated.
