|
Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) candidate from Nowboicha assembly constituency, Basanta Das exuded confidence in the NDA victory in Assam as the counting of votes began for the assembly elections began on Monday.
"District administration has made good arrangements here... There is 100% chance that we are going to win and we will win every time... Under the leadership of Himanta Biswa Sarma, we are going to form the government again," he said. Basanta Das is up against Congress Joy Prakash Das and AAP's Achyut Das. Counting of votes for all 126 Assembly constituencies began at 8 am under tight security, with postal ballots taken up first, followed by EVM counting from 8:30 am across 14 tables at each centre. Counting agents from various political parties were seen arriving at strong rooms, including at the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre in Guwahati. The Election Commission has set up 52 counting centres across 35 districts, including institutions such as Bodoland University, Bhattadev University, Nalbari College and Karimganj College. In several districts, including Lakhimpur and Sivasagar, multi-tier security arrangements have been deployed, with hundreds of officials overseeing the process to ensure transparency and smooth conduct. Assam went to the polls in a single phase on April 9, with high voter turnout recorded. The BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term in the state, while the Congress has formed a six-party alliance to mount a strong challenge. Exit polls have largely projected a comfortable victory for the NDA, with estimates ranging between 85 and 101 seats, while the Congress-led alliance is expected to secure 23 to 36 seats. As counting progresses, all eyes remain on whether the BJP can retain its stronghold in the northeastern state. In the 2021 Assam Assembly election, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance retained power, with the BJP under Sarbananda Sonowal winning 60 out of 126 seats, while its ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) secured 9 and the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) won 6, taking the NDA tally to 75 seats. The Congress-led alliance managed 50 seats, with Congress winning 29. (ANI)
|