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Campaign ends for by-polls to 9 seats in 3 NE states

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Guwahati/Shillong/Aizawl | Thursday, 2021 6:45:05 AM IST
Campaigning ended on Wednesday for bypolls to nine assembly seats in Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram, where the BJP-led NDA will take on the Congress.

A bypoll was to take place in Nagaland's Shamator-Chessore Assembly seat, but ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) candidate S. Keoshu Yimchunger, who was the consensus nominee of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), an all-party coalition formed on September 18 to run an opposition-less government in the northeastern state, has been elected unopposed as he was the lone nominee in the tribal reserved seat.

In Assam, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is contesting in three of the state's five seats and all its three candidates are turncoats -- two from the Congress and one from the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF). It has fielded Phanidhar Talukdar in Bhabanipur, Rupjyoti Kurmi in Mariani and Sushanta Borgohain in Thowra, while its ally United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) has nominated Jiron Basumatary and Jolen Daimary in Gossaigaon and Tamulpur, respectively.

The main opposition Congress, which bagged 29 seats in the March-April Assembly polls and fielded candidates in all the five seats, has been trying hard at least to retain Thowra and Mariani where it won in the last polls.

The AIUDF has fielded candidates in Bhabanipur and Gossaigaon, Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal is contesting in Thowra and Mariani while Hagrama Mahilary-led Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) is contesting in Gossaigaon.

The AIUDF and the BPF were partners of the Congress-led 10-party 'Mahajot' (grand alliance) in the March-April Assembly polls.

According to the Election Commission, a total of 31 candidates are contesting in the by-polls to the five Assembly constituencies.

The by-elections were necessitated due to the Covid-related deaths of two sitting MLAs belonging to the UPPL and the BPF while two Congress (Kurmi and Borgohain) and one AIUDF legislator (Talukdar) joined the BJP after quitting their Assembly membership.

Political pundits are saying that the October 30 by-elections to five Assembly seats will be a litmus test for both the ruling party and the state government led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

In Meghalaya, NDA constituent, National People's Party (NPP) and the Congress have fielded candidates in all the three seats, and the BJP, which is a constituent of the NPP-dominated Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA), has fielded candidate in one.

Another junior member of the ruling MDA, the United Democratic Party (UDP) also fielded candidate in Mawphlang causing likely division of votes among the ruling partners and offering electoral benefit to the "divided" Congress.

In Mawryngkneng, however, the UDP is supporting the NPP candidate in other seats.

The Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP), another member of the MDA, is supporting the UDP candidates in Mawphlang and Rajabala.

In all, 13 candidates, including nominees of the local parties, have entered the fray.

Five candidates each are contesting from Mawryngkneng and Rajabala, while three aspirants are in the race in Mawphlang.

In Mizoram, bypoll will be held to the Tuirial assembly seat, necessitated by the death of sitting Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) legislator Andrew H. Thangliana, and four candidates in the fray . They are K. Laldawngliana of the ruling Mizo National Front, Laltlanmawia of the ZPM, Chalrosanga Ralte of the Congress and the BJP's K. Laldinthara.

Counting of votes will take place on November 2.

--IANS sc/vd

( 560 Words)

2021-10-28-00:34:02 (IANS)

 
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