Assam assembly elections 2021: Several ministers, Deputy Speaker in fray in second phase

New Delhi, Mar 30: The fate of Assam Ministers including Piyush Hazarika, Parimalsukla Baidya, Bhabesh Kalita and Deputy Speaker of State Assembly Aminul Haque Laskar will be decided in the second phase of Assembly polls on Thursday.

According to reports, a total of 345 candidates are in the fray in this phase. As many as 73,44,631 electorates are eligible to vote in second phase elections on April 1. The campaigning for the second phase of elections will end today.

It can be seen that Baidya is contesting from the Dholai seat for the seventh time on a BJP ticket, Hazarika from Jagiroad and Kalita from Rangia seat. Former Congress minister Gautam Roy is contesting from Katigorah on a BJP ticket, while former Deputy Speaker Dilip Kumar Paul, who resigned from the BJP after he was denied ticket, is contesting as an Independent from Silchar.

Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary is contesting from Panery and former Asam Sahitya Sabha President Paramananda Rajbongshi is trying his luck from Sipajhar. Former Assam Minister for Hill Areas Development, Mines and Minerals and Congress leader Sum Ronghang is in the fray from the Diphu seat.

Nearly 15 crucial Assembly seats in the Barak Valley region will go to polls on April 1. In the 2016 polls, BJP had bagged 8 seats six from Cachar district and two from bordering Karimganj district, which shares boundaries with Bangladesh.

The state, in its three-phased polls, is witnessing a direct fight between the BJP-Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Congress-AIUDF alliance. The BJP is banking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governance, Central public welfare schemes, and on the image of Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal.

Assam had recorded 79.93 voter turnout in the first phase of elections on March 27.
Polling for the next two phases will be held on April 1 and April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.