25 candidates in fray for Assam bypolls

Guwahati, Sep 11: A total of 25 candidates are in the fray for Saturday's bypolls in Assam's three legislative assembly constituencies - Silchar, Lakhipur and Jamunamukh.

By-election for the Silchar seat was necessitated by Congress legislator Susmita Dev's election to the Lok Sabha while Lakhipur seat fell vacant after the death of sitting MLA and former minister Dinesh Prasad Goala.

The Jamunamukh seat was vacated by AIUDF legislator Sirajuddin Ajmal, who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Barpeta constituency.

According to the state election office, a total of 12 candidates are contesting in the Silchar constituency, while five candidates are in the fray in Lakhipur. Both the seats are in Cachar district.

In Nagoan district's Jamunamukh constituency, eight candidates are contesting the bypoll.

A total of 5,09,689 electors, including 2,44,543 females, are likely to exercise their democratic right at 588 polling stations across the three assembly constituencies.

The Silchar constituency has 2,06,573 voters, while a total of 1,37,398 electors are registered in Lakhipur. In Jamunamukh constituency, there are 1,65,718 eligible voters.

The Silchar assembly constituency is likely to see a straight fight between the BJP's Dilip Paul and the Congress's Arun Dutta Mazumder, while a three-cornered contest is expected in Lakhipur assembly constituency.

In the tea worker-dominated Lakhipur, the Congress has fielded Goala's son Rajdeep while Sanjay Kumar Thakur is the the BJP nominee. Mukesh Pandey is the AIUDF candidate.

In Jamunamukh constituency, the AIUDF has fielded Abdur Rahim Ajmal, son of AIUDF chief Badaruddin Ajmal. The Congress has put up Bashiruddin Laskar while the BJP has nominated Bilal Uddin for the bypolls.

Notably, the state's regional political party - Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) - has decided to abstain from the polls.

IANS