News Analysis India

Tag: 2021 Assam elections

  • Assam elections: ECI orders repolling in four booths on April 20 after seizure of EVM from MLA’s car

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: The Election Commission of India on Saturday ordered repolling in four polling booths of Assam. Repolling will be held at the polling stations in Ratabari, Sonai and Haflong constituencies on April 20, the ECI said in a letter addressed to the Chief Electoral Officer, Assam. “The Commission declares void, the votes cast at these polling stations on April 1,” it said.

    All the three constituencies went to polls in the second phase of Assam assembly elections on April 1.

    The ECI order said, repolling will be held at Ratabari (SC) contituency’s polling station number 149 at Indira MV School, after an electronic voting machine (EVM) was found in a car belonging to the wife of a BJP candidate.

    A magisterial probe was ordered by Karimganj district Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer to enquire as to why a polling team in Assam carried a polled EVM in a vehicle owned by the wife of BJP candidate and sitting MLA Krishnendu Paul.

    In an auxiliary polling station at 107(A)-Khothlir LP School under Haflong assembly constituency, 171 votes were cast even though 90 people were eligible to exercise their franchise.

    The presiding and first polling officer in their statements had admitted that they had allowed the voters registered at the main polling station at 107-Mouldam LP School to cast their votes at the auxiliary polling station.

    Repolling has also been ordered in Sonai constituencys 463- Madhya Dhanehori LP School polling booth where at least three persons were injured in an incident of firing, following which the state’s deputy speaker and BJP candidate Aminul Haque Laskar was questioned by the police and five police personnel attached to him were suspended.

  • Assam polls: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi slams ‘irresponsible’ EC, BJP’s negative politics

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: With the final phase of the assembly elections in Assam taking place on Tuesday, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that at a time when there is an “irresponsible” Election Commission and negative politics is being played by the ruling BJP, the people of Assam will choose the path of guarantee of development and progress.

    Polling for 40 seats in the final phase of the assembly elections in Assam is underway and it will decide the fate of 337 candidates. In a Facebook post in Hindi, Priyanka Gandhi said, “Today is the last phase of elections in Assam. I appeal to all my sisters and brothers to vote in large numbers to strengthen the democratic process.”

    आज असम में अंतिम चरण का चुनाव है। मेरी सभी मतदाता बहनों-भाइयों से अपील है कि लोकतांत्रिक प्रक्रिया को मजबूत करने के लिए भारी संख्या में मतदान करें।मुझे पूरा विश्वास है असम की जनता आज प्रगति व उन्नति की गारंटी का रास्ता चुनेगी।
    — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) April 6, 2021

    “At a time when there is an irresponsible Election Commission (EC) and negative politics is being played by the ruling party, the people of Assam will choose the path of guarantee of development and progress,” the Congress general secretary said.

    The Congress-led Opposition has been raising questions over the EC’s neutrality and functioning in the Assam polls.

    The party had on Friday questioned the poll panel after a BJP candidate’s vehicle was found transporting a polled EVM in Assam’s Karimganj district and said if the poll body does not wake up now and remains “complicit” it will be fatal for democracy.

    The Congress on Saturday had hit out at the EC for reducing the campaign ban on Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and said it was a dark day for parliamentary democracy and history will not pardon the poll panel.

  • Four model polling stations set up in Assam’s Goalpara

    By Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: Four model Polling Stations have been set up – one per constituency – each with a unique theme generating a lot of enthusiasm amongst our voters in Assam’s Goalpara.

    For 36 Dudhnoi LAC, Makhipara Govt JB School set up a polling station (PS) based on the concept of Unity and Diversity as Dudhnoi is a place of multiple cultures/linguistics/religions and ethnicities. The station includes Bamboo Arch Gate and Display area with cultural decorations, ethnic fabric and handicrafts and Mannequins wearing tribal attire placed at the selfie zone.

    For 37 Goalpara East LAC, Baladmari Chah Bagan Model Polling Station is based on the concept of ‘award red carpet’. PS has several components such as children play zone, seating lounge, selfie zone, muppets etc.

    Selfie zone is made in resemblance with red carpet zone seen in red carpet events giving the people a celebratory experience. Mini seating area themed on ‘inclusivity’ and transgender rights is made with rainbow color fabric.

    At Ambari Tiniali Bazaar High School located at 38 Goalpara West LAC polling booth theme is the widely celebrated Assamese festival of Bihu, arch gate adorned with several assamese traditional items, seating lounge/gazebo/pagoda with decorative chairs, designed with several props, standees and box pillars giving the polling booth a festive outlook.

    Theme for Haldibari ME Madrasa located at 39 Jaleswar LAC is Environment, Pollution, Water Pollution etc.  The polling booth has been equipped with display area of recycled products like plastic bottles, waste paper etc.

    Voters will also be handed out one tree sapling per voter as a memento from the administration’s side. The arch gate is adorned with props like dhari mat, jakoi and other traditional assamese tools. It also has an art installation made with recycles bottles, plastics wrappers, etc.

    In these PS To make it fun for young children coming to the location with their parents, Model booths have a designated play area relevant to the theme and seating areas with decorated chairs for the public along with access to bottled mineral water.

  • Government working sincerely to implement Assam Accord, most problems resolved: PM Narendra Modi

    By PTI
    The central government is working sincerely to fully implement the Assam Accord, said PM Narendra Modi while addressing a rally at Tamulpur in Assam’s Baksa district ahead of the third phase of Assembly polls in the state. He also said that most of the issues regarding the pact is solved and and the “rest will be resolved too”.

    The prime minister said that people of the state have rejected violence for development, peace, unity and stability.

    He asserted that the NDA government formulated policies that are non-discriminatory and for all sections of society.”Though we formulate policies for all without discrimination, some who work for just one section are termed secular whereas those who work for all types of people are called communal,” Modi said, attacking the Congress over long years of violence in the state.

    “It’s unfortunate that those who divided society and threw crumbs of development at particular sections for their vote bank politics are said to be practising secularism while we, who ensure that development reaches all, are termed communal,” he added.

    “The NDA government has strived to holistically empower every section of society with our mantra ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’. This game of secularism and communalism has hurt the nation a lot,” he said.

    The prime minister said that during the last five years, the “double engine” NDA governments at the Centre and in the state have resulted in “double benefit” for Assam. He came down heavily on those claimimg what people who will form the next government will look like and wear.

    Modi was apparently referring to the comments by Abdur Rahim, the son of AIUDF founder and MP Badruddin Ajmal, a Congress ally, who Friday asserted “dadhi, topi and lungi wallahs” will form the next government in the state. “There cannot be a bigger insult to Assam. The people of Assam will not tolerate those who insult Assam’s pride and identity and will give them a befitting reply through the ballot,” he said.

    He asserted that the people of the state have decided to vote the NDA to power again. “I say this on the strength of the love, affection and enthusiam they have shown for the NDA in the two phases of polling already held. They are with development, stability, peace, harmony and unity,” he added.

    He also urged militants in the state to surrender. “Those who are yet to surrender should return to their mainstream lives as they can create an ‘Atmanirbhar Assam,” the Prime Minister said.

    Addressing a rally in Tamulpur. Watch. https://t.co/sBxRPPVF2c
    — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 3, 2021

    Earlier, the EC on Friday barred senior Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from campaigning for 48 hours for allegedly making threatening remarks against Bodoland People’s Front Chief Hagrama Mohilary.

    The third phase of the Assam assembly polls is set to take place on April 6. The second phase that took place on Thursday saw a voter turnout of 74.76 per cent. Polling for the third and final phase will be held on April 6 and the counting of votes will take place on May 2.

    (With inputs from PTI)

  • Assam polls 2021: EC transfers minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s cop brother from Goalpara district

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: After barring Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from campaigning in the assembly polls for 48 hours, the Election Commission has also transferred his brother and Goalpara Superintendent of Police Sushanta Biswa Sarma from the district.

    An order issued by the Commission on Friday said that Sarma shall be transferred to some suitable post in the state headquarters and IPS officer Veera Venakata Rakesh Reddy shall be posted with immediate effect as the new Superintendent of Police of Goalpara district, which will go to polls in the third and last phase on April 6.

    The order, signed by EC Under Secretary Love Kush Yadav, also stated that the compliance report shall be furnished to the Commission immediately. The EC on Friday barred the senior Assam minister from campaigning for 48 hours for allegedly making threatening remarks against Bodoland People’s Front Chief Hagrama Mohilary.

    The Commission barred him from holding any public meetings, processions, rallies, roadshows, interviews and utterances in media (electronic, print, social media) in connection with ongoing elections for 48 hours with immediate effect on April 2.

    Campaigning for the third and final phase of the assembly elections ends on April 4 at 6 pm. Following the EC order, the minister tweeted, “I am asked by ECI to stop campaigning for the next 48 hours. Therefore, all my meetings scheduled for tomorrow stand cancelled.”

    I am asked by ECI to stop campaigning for next 48 hours. Therefore all my meetings scheduled for tomorrow stand cancelled.
    — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) April 2, 2021

    The Congress had filed a complaint with the EC on March 30 alleging that Sarma had openly threatened the BPF chief, an alliance partner of the grand old party, violating the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct.

    The minister replied on Friday to the show cause issued to him, which he released on his Twitter handle, but the Commission did not find his reply satisfactory.

    AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, the prime target of the BJP’s verbal attacks in the ongoing polls, reacted on Twitter, “Threatening, spreading hatred, bullying leaders, stealing EVMs…there is nothing that the BJP won’t do.”

    He welcomed the ECI’s decision in support of Mohilary who was “threatened with retribution through state agencies”.

  • INTERVIEW| We will ride to power on development: BJP Assam election in-charge Jay Panda

    Express News Service
    Bhartiya Janata Party national vice-president Jay Panda, who is also the party’s Assam election in-charge, tells  that  there is a positive mood in their favour because of the massive development works in the northeastern state

    Good governance and the commitment of national leaders to treat Assam as priority are among the factors the BJP is banking on to retain power in the state. According to Jay Panda, there are other reasons also, why he thinks the people of Assam would vote for the saffron party. Excerpts from an interview…

    What is the Bharatiya Janata Party’s main election plank?

    I don’t think the northeast has got the kind of attention it is getting now. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has come here at least 50 times, before him if you add the number of visits by all other PMs in the past, this should be more. The people see this.

    Just compare the number of bridges constructed over the Brahmaputra over the previous 70 years and how many have been built or are under construction now. Similarly, roads and medical colleges. (Home minister) Amit Shah keeps pointing out the 20,000 kms of both highways and panchayat roads.

    There have been no communal riots and the recent Bodo accord has brought peace, as the last of the militants has surrendered and joined the political process.

    The politics of Assam was dominated by illegal immigration and the need to protect the indigenous culture. But except for 7-8 kms, the border fencing is complete. So all these things contribute and that’s why I get this very positive feeling.

    Is development enough to win the elections?

    Look at our track record in administration. The kind of corruption there was before is over now. Everyone knows about the Assam Public Service Commission scandal. The APSC chairman and other officials who used to take Rs 30-40 lakh bribe have been jailed.

    There is also no leakage of money as funds are deposited directly to bank accounts. There are roughly 20 lakh beneficiaries of the Orunoday scheme (where people get Rs 843 every month) and there is no leakage.

    The Congress and the All-India United Democratic Front alliance is expected to dent BJP’s performance…

    I think Congress has made a huge mistake by aligning with AIUDF. The late Tarun Gogoi never aligned with AIUDF. Maybe they had some secret understanding or some adjustment, but it was never official. Everybody associates AIUDF with illegal immigration and this repulses the majority of the people in Assam.

    Congress leaders are telling me privately it was a mistake. AIUDF may get some 2-3 seats extra, but Congress will end up winning fewer seats. Congress leaders are disconnected from the people. They go to tea gardens and pluck tea leaves for photo ops.

    They were in power for so many years, yet wages of tea garden labourers was only about Rs 100. It has been more than doubled now.

    Do you think the Congress will lose Hindu votes?

    There are indigenous Muslims in Assam who are also unhappy with illegal immigration. Congress had lost supporters after losing power. Now, the remaining supporters are also moving away. Everyday, many Congress leaders are joining us because of the alliance with the AIUDF.

    Will the Citizenship Amendment Act be an issue in the polls?

    I have spent three months here and gone all over the state. Whatever the situation was 14 months ago because of the CAA is no longer relevant. The opposition spread two lies about CAA. One, Indian Muslims will be expelled, but this is complete falsehood. Second, they said from a neighbouring country 1.5 crore Hindus will be brought in but not a single one has come.

    What is the government’s plan on attracting industries?

    The base of any progress and development is good infrastructure. That is why there is a massive drive to develop this. International cargo flights have started and this will boost value added products. The airport is being upgraded and expanded. Once this is done, the attractiveness of Assam as an investment destination for companies such as ITC or agro-based businesses will increase.

    Some ethnic-based militant groups are still present in the state…

    The biggest was the Bodo issue but that has been comprehensively resolved. This was 80% of the ethnic based issue. They have laid down their arms and now there is new party in power in the Bodoland Territorial Council. The rest 20% will also be dealt with in the future.

    How will you view your contribution if the BJP retains power?

    For me any reward or post is only a byproduct. I am grateful the party gave me this responsibility. But my job was only to coordinate and manage. Here the biggest factor is Modi’s image, then it is the BJP government’s performance. Our third biggest asset is our state leaders such as Chief Minister Sarabanda Sonowal, Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and party chief Ranjit Dass.

  • Assam polls 2021: Congress promises no CAA, Rs 2000 per month for homemakers in manifesto

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: The Congress on Saturday released its election manifesto for Assam, making “five guarantees” that included Rs 2,000 per month for every housewife and law to nullify the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

    It also promised to provide five lakh government and 25 lakh private-sector jobs, raise the daily wage of tea workers to Rs 365 and free electricity up to 200 units per household. Releasing the document in Guwahati, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said his party will protect the idea of Assam that is being “attacked” by the BJP and RSS.

    The party promised to waive off the debts of farmers and begin the process of identification of illegal immigrants if voted to power. It would waive off the debts of women who have taken loans from micro-finance banks and provide free of cost yarn, loom and other equipment to women, and make their travel in the state transport free.

    The party pledged to take necessary steps to solve the problem of illegal immigrants based on the March 25, 1971 cutoff date as prescribed in the Assam Accord. The party said it would start the process of identification of illegal immigrants as per the decision of the Supreme Court.

    It had monitored the updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) of 1951 in Assam. Gandhi said the document contained the aspirations of the people. “The BJP and the RSS are attacking the diverse cultures of the nation. They are attacking our language, history, ways of thinking and living. This manifesto is about protecting the idea of Assam, its culture and identity,” he said.

    He said the manifesto was prepared following discussions with all sections of people. The Congress pledged that holy places such as ‘namghars’ (Vaishnavite prayer centres), temples, mosques, churches, etc, which have attained an age of 50 years, would be provided financial assistance.

  • Assam polls 2021: Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kapil Sibal, Manish Tewari not in Congress list of campaigners

    By IANS
    NEW DELHI: The Congress released the list of its star campaigners for the three- phase Assam Assembly elections which included party chief Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former party President Rahul Gandhi, his sister and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several others.

    Like West Bengal, the list missed out the names of former Rajya Sabha member Ghulam Nabi Azad, senior party leader Kapil Sibal, Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari and Rajya Sabha MP Anand Sharma, who are part of the G-23 signatories.

    The other star campaigners are Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Mukul Wasnik, Salman Khurshid, Jitendra Singh, Vikas Upadhyay, Anirudh Singh, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, Mohan Prakash, Nabam Tuki, Mukul Sangma.

    The party has also named Rameshwar Oraon, Assam Congress chief Ripun Bora, Sushmita Dev, Gourav Gogoi, Debabarta Saikia, Pradyut Bordolai, Rakibul Hussain, Bhupen Bora, Rana Goswami, Ranee Narah, Rupjyoti Kurmi, Roselina Tirkey and Pradip Nag.

    Priyanka Gandhi had last week gone to Assam on a two-day visit and addressed a few public rallies and also met Assam tea garden workers.

    She is again scheduled to visit the state in the coming days. Her brother Rahul Gandhi, who went to Tamil Nadu and Kerala earlier, will also visit Assam in the coming days. The Congress, which ruled the state for 15 years before losing power in 2016 to the BJP, is hoping for a comeback on the back of a multi-party alliance.

    The Congress has formed a Grand Alliance in Assam consisting of the AIUDF, Bodoland People’s Front, CPI, CPM, CPML, the Anchalik Gana Morcha and the Rashtriya Janata Dal. It was formed to fight the upcoming election for the 126-member assembly against the BJP-led NDA.

    Polling will take place in three phases — March 27, April 1 and April 6. Counting of votes will be taken up on May 2.

  • 2021 Assam elections: Twin challenges for BJP in the form of Congress allies and regional parties

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI:  The BJP, which heads Assam’s three-party ruling coalition, is faced with an uphill task to achieve its goal of winning 100 out of the state’s 126 seats in the upcoming Assembly polls. Cashing in on the Modi wave, the saffron party and its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) had bagged 86 seats in the 2016 elections.

    It had also reaped the dividends of antiincumbency and alleged large scale corruption during the previous Congress regime. The scenario this time around, however, is completely different. The primary challenge for the BJP is tie up of Congress and minority-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF).

    These two former foes have formed a six-party grand alliance ahead of the polls. The BJP had contested in 84 seats in the 2016 elections, bagging a vote share of 29.5 per cent, less than that of the 31 per cent of the Congress, which had won 26 seats out of the 122 contested seats.

    The combined vote share of BJP-AGP-BPF was 41.9 per cent, which was less than that of the Congress-AIUDF’s vote share of 44 per cent. In 17 constituencies where the BJP had won, the combined vote share of Congress and AIUDF was more than that of the saffron party.

    Also, the combined vote share of Congress and AIUDF was more than that of the AGP in two seats which were among the 14 seats that the regional party had won. The Congress and the AIUDF did not have any alliance in the last election.

    Now that they would fight together and would have a seat-sharing arrangement, the split of anti-BJP votes is likely to be prevented Secondly, the AGP had dished out a spectacular performance in the last election by riding piggyback on the BJP. It had won 14 of the 24 seats it contested.

    However, the birth of two regional forces – Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and Raijor Dal – is expected to cost the AGP dear. That the BJP and the AGP are nervous following the AJP’s emergence in the political spectrum is evident from their constant vitriol of the regional party.

    Political scientist Akhil Ranjan Dutta of the Gauhati University said the Congress- AIUDF alignment will have an impact in Central Assam. “The AJP will target the votes of the AGP and the BJP. I feel they (AJP) will cause damage to both BJP and AGP to some extent. The AASU said it would support the AJP. If they do it, both BJP and AGP will suffer,” Dutta observed.

    He said the BJP was distributing its resources in a targeted manner, particularly targeting the tea community. “They have a substantive presence in tea areas. Not only are they distributing the resources, they are also giving overriding priority in political representation. Pallab Lochan Das, Rameswar Teli and Kamakhya Prasad Tassa, all of them from the tea community, are now MPs,” Dutta said.

    The five Lok Sabha constituencies of Tezpur, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Kaliabor have 48 Assembly segments. The tea workers have a huge influence in 35-37 of them.

  • Election Commission team to visit Assam from Monday to review Assembly poll preparedness

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora is scheduled to arrive in Assam on Monday on a three-day visit to take stock of preparations for assembly polls due in March-April, officials said. The CEC will hold separate meetings with senior officials of the state government, including the chief secretary, home secretary, DGP, chief electoral officer and police nodal officer.

    They said that he will also hold discussions with leaders of political parties, election related Central and state regulatory authorities, district election officers and SPs.

    The CEC will be accompanied by Election Commissioners Sushil Chandra and Rajiv Kumar, Director General of the Election Commission of India (ECI) Dharmendra Sharma, Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bhusan Kumar, Senior Principal Secretary Narendra N Butolia, Director of Expenditure Pankaj Srivastava and EVM consultant Vipin Katara.

    A six-member team of the poll panel, led by Sharma, had recently visited the northeastern state. Elections to the 126-member Assam assembly are likely to be held in March-April.