Guwahati: Assam’s political showdown reaches its decisive phase as counting of votes begins on Monday, deciding if the BJP-led NDA secures a hat-trick in power or if Congress reclaims control after a campaign dominated by identity issues, welfare promises and local ambitions, PTI reported.
Electronic voting machines containing the verdicts of 722 candidates across 126 assembly seats will be unsealed at 40 counting halls spanning all 35 districts under stringent security protocols.
Of the contenders, 59 are women candidates. Nagaon district will conduct counting at three distinct venues, while Kokrajhar, Tinsukia and Jorhat each use two centres.
Twenty-five companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will be deployed to secure the counting sites and strongrooms storing the EVMs.
Authorities will assign 800 additional unarmed police to transport EVMs from strongrooms to counting halls.
Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Goel had said that two additional CAPF companies will be kept on static duty. This besides, 93 companies of state armed police have already been deployed in the districts, he said.
Moreover, support of 85 Assault
Groups has also been sought on the counting day to deal with any untoward incident.
Polling across the state was conducted on April 9, with 85.96 per cent of the over 2.50 crore electorate casting their votes.
Among the 722 candidates, Congress fielded the most with 99, followed by BJP with 90, AIUDF with 30, NDA partner Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) with 26, and Bodo Peoples’ Front (BPF) with 11.
In the opposition grouping, Raijor Dal fielded candidates in 13 seats, Assam Jatiya Parishad in 10, CPI(M) in three, and All Party Hill Leaders Conference in two.
The Aam Aadmi Party and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) each put up 18 candidates, the TMC fielded 22, the JMM 16. Independents number 258 in total.
Fates of prominent figures hang in the balance on Monday, including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi, Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Opposition Leader Debabrata Saikia, AIUDF head Badruddin Ajmal, Raijor Dal chief and MP Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) leader Lurinjyoti Gogoi. Several ministers are also contesting, such as AGP’s Atul Bora and Keshav Mahanta, and BPF’s Charan Boro.
The BJP-led NDA’s core allies are Asom Gana Parishad and Bodo Peoples’ Front, while the opposition coalition features Congress, Raijor Dal, AJP, CPI(M), All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC), and CPI(ML).
In the current assembly, BJP holds 64 seats, allies AGP nine, UPPL seven and BPF three.
Opposition numbers include Congress with 26 MLAs, AIUDF 15, CPI(M) one, besides one Independent.