BJP ahead in Assam municipal polls

Guwahati, Feb 12: BJP was on Thursday ahead in the municipal elections in Assam winning nearly half of the 743 wards and the 74 municipal boards and town committees.

Of the results declared for 702 wards, BJP won in 340 wards followed by Congress 232, AGP-39, AIUDF-8, NCP-4, BPF and CPM with one each while Independents were victorious in 77, Assam State Election Commissioner H N Bora said.

In the 74 municipal boards and committees, BJP won in 30 bodies, Congress in 17, AGP in two, NCP in one while there was a tie between two parties in four and no majority in 10 bodies, he said.

More than 73 per cent of an estimated 14 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the polls held on February 9 to decide the fate of 2,900 candidates.

Repoll was held in a booth of Ward No-2 in Hojai municipality following complaints regarding anomalies in ballot papers by the candidates.

Election was adjourned in three wards under Demow town committee following a Gauhati High Court order.

The Congress had swept the urban body polls in 2009, winning 400-plus wards with the AGP and the BJP finishing a distant second and third respectively.

PTI