Congress ahead, Gogoi sounds confident

Guwahati, May 11 (UNI) Asom is all set for the first ever full fledged coalition government as early trends are throwing hung Assembly leaving both Congress and AGP stranded well short of the majority.

However the Congress is all set to emerge as the single largest party as they have established considerable lead in at least 42 constituencies, while the AGP is in 22 seats, but the arithmetic of seats is in favour of the Congress, better placed to win over the smaller parties.

The BJP is so far leading in seven states but they have been routed in Barak valley, their traditional stronghold, where the Muslim party AUDF has emerged as a strong force eating into both Congress and AGP votes and marginalisng the BJP.

A confidant Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today admitted that a coalition government would come to power and the Congress would lead the same. He himself has taken unassailable lead at his home constituency of Titabor.

The AGP has been having mix of results. If injured AGP leader Pradeep Hazarika, Brindabon Goswami and Chandra Mohan Patowary are leading, Jagadish Bhuyan is losing.

The Left parties are also not having great tie but CPM and CPI would do better than the last time when they were blanked out for the first time since Independence.

However, the smaller parties would play the crucial role for the formation of next government and AGP in a desperate bid had swung into actin to form an anti-Congress axis in the state.

The AGP and AUDF are coming together but the Congress is banking on the Bodos as well as NCP, AGP (P) and Independents. The election also has witnessed complete decimation of Prafulla Kumar Mahanta faction of the AGP as his party is leading only in one constituency.

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