Assam election LIVE: Polling peaceful, says EC; 73% voter turnout till 5 pm

Assam election 2021 LIVE updates: The main contest is seen to be between the alliances led by BJP and Congress. Stay tuned for LIVE updates on Assam election 2021 Phase 2

1:24 PM

Assam Assembly elections: Peaceful polling in second phase underway

The situation in Assam was peaceful with a significant number of voters turning up during the morning hours to exercise their franchise in the 39 seats where voting was underway in the second phase on Thursday.

 

There were reports of EVM glitches from some polling stations and upon their immediate replacement voting continued uninterrupted, an election official said.

 

Long queues were seen outside most of the 10,592 polling stations across the 13 districts in the Barak Valley, the Hill region and parts of Central and Lower Assam since early morning. Read on...

12:03 PM

Assam election 2021 LIVE: Congress leader Sushmita Dev casts her vote at a polling station in Silchar

"Mahajoot (grand alliance) is an inclusive alliance. BJP is a communal alliance," she says.

11:48 AM

In long years of its rule, Congress threw Assam into bomb, gun and blockade culture, says PM Modi

In long years of its rule, Congress threw Assam into bomb, gun and blockade culture; NDA gifted peace and respect to state: Modi

11:14 AM

Assam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address a public rally in Kokrajhar, shortly

10:36 AM

Assam: All India United Democratic Front President Badruddin Ajmal casts his vote

9:36 AM

Assam Election 2021 LIVE: 10.51 polling recorded till 9 am, says ECI

Assam Election 2021 LIVE: 10.51 polling recorded till 9 am, says ECI

9:17 AM

Assam: Former MoS Railways & BJP leader Rajen Gohain casts his vote at a polling booth in Nagaon

Assam: Former MoS Railways & BJP leader Rajen Gohain casts his vote at a polling booth in Nagaon. He says, "BJP will get over 35 seats out of the total 47 in the 1st phase. In the 2nd phase too, we'll get many seats. BJP will undoubtedly form the govt with more than 75 seats."

9:03 AM

Key contestants in Assam election 2021

The election in the second phase includes 15 assembly seats in the Barak Valley. In the 2016 polls, BJP had bagged eight seats six from Cachar district and two from bordering Karimganj district, which shares boundaries with Bangladesh.

 

Assam Minister Parimal Suklabaidya is contesting from the Dholai seat for the seventh time on a BJP ticket. State minister Piyush Hazarika is contesting from Jagiroad and Bhabesh Kalita, also a minister, from the 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.

8:57 AM

Assam election 2021 LIVE: Key candidates of the Assam phase-2 polling

A total of 345 candidates are in the fray for 39 constituencies. While 649 nominations were filed, 30 of them were rejected and 33 were withdrawn. Of the 345 candidates, there are four ministers and the deputy speaker of the Assam assembly.

 

Prominent faces from the BJP include ministers Parimal Suklabaidya from Dholai, Bhabesh Kalita from Rangia, Pijush Hazarika from Jagiroad, and Deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar from Sonai. Notably, former Deputy Speaker Dilip Kumar Paul is contesting as an Independent candidate from Silchar after he was denied a ticket by the BJP. He had resigned from the party following the ticket row.

7:45 AM

Assam election 2021 LIVE: Vote in record numbers, says PM Modi

7:09 AM

Second phase of voting for Assembly elections in Assam begins

Second phase of voting for Assembly elections in Assam begins