News Analysis India

Tag: Assam Assembly polls

  • Second phase polls: 80.53 per cent turnout in Bengal, 73.03 per cent in Assam

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Assam recorded a voter turnout of 73.03 per cent on Thursday, while the figure stood at 80.53 per cent for West Bengal in the second phase of assembly polls in the two states.

    The Election Commission said these figures were till 5 pm.

    The second phase of polls in the two states was held peacefully across 21,212 polling stations spread over 69 assembly constituencies, it said.

    “The voter turnout reported by 5 pm from the 39 assembly constituencies of phase 2 in Assam is 73.03 per cent. The poll percentage reported from the 30 assembly constituencies of phase 2 in West Bengal is 80.43 per cent as of 5 pm,” the Commission said in a statement.

    It said the “non-functioning rate” of electronic voting machines during the poll is lesser than experienced in last few polls.

    It, however, did not explain the total number of machines replaced.

    During this phase, a total of 10620 ballot units, and an equal number of control units and VVPATs were used in West Bengal.

    In Assam, 10819 ballot units, 10592 control units and as many VVPATs were used.

    One control unit, at least one ballot unit and one VVPAT makes up for one EVM.

    During the ongoing elections till second phase, a record seizure of Rs.366.09 crore have been made from both the states.

    The seizure figure, which includes seizure of cash, liquor, narcotics and freebies, is more than six times higher than the total combined seizure of Rs 60.91 crore in assembly elections of 2016, the statement said.

    A total number of 1306 cases of Model Code of Conduct violations were reported through the cVIGIL app from Assam out of which 927 were disposed as of 4.30 pm.

    Similarly, 14499 cases were reported from West Bengal with 11630 disposed till 4.30 pm.

  • Will reach majority mark in Assam from results of first 2 phases: Congress

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: The Congress on Thursday claimed that the alliance led by it will reach the majority mark of 64 in the 126-member Assam Assembly from the results of the first two phases of the election as the people of the state have responded to its “positive campaign”.

    Addressing a press conference here, AICC spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said that the Congress-led Grand Alliance is on track to achieve its target of winning 101 seats in the elections.

    The Congress, which was in power for 15 years in Assam since 2001, has formed a Grand Alliance with the AIUDF, BPF, Left parties, the RJD and others to fight the Assembly election against the BJP-led NDA.

    “With nearly 80 per cent polling in the first phase, the Congress is sweeping Upper Assam. Also, the information we are getting today, we will cross the majority mark after the second phase itself,” Vallabh said.

    An estimated 79.97 per cent of voters in 47 seats exercised their franchise in the first phase on March 27, while the second phase of voting for 39 seats took place on Thursday.

    The third phase of the election for the remaining 40 seats will be held on April 6.

    Senior Congress leader Manish Tiwari, who was also present at the press conference, said, “The Congress has contested this election with a very positive campaign. The people of the state have responded to it very enthusiastically.”

    The people of Assam should be very careful about protecting the Constitutional privileges that the state and North East have got, he said.

    Tiwari said, “If the BJP comes to power again in Assam or (states of) Northeast, it is not far that Constitutional guarantees to this region like Articles 371B, and Sixth Schedule of the Constitution will also be curtailed.

    Article 371B deals with special provisions with respect to Assam.

    The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution provides for the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram to safeguard the rights of the tribal population in these states.

    He said that the BJP abrogated the Article 370 which was about special provisions for Jammu and Kashmir, and brought an Act which will curtail the powers of the elected government of Delhi.

    “Their (BJP’s) idea of India is different from those who created the Constitution. They don’t understand India. And they do not understand the border states of India,” the Congress MP said.

    The former union minister said that the Assam election is very important for its future and is Constitutional position in the Indian perspective.

    “The NDA brought the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. This law is totally unconstitutional. Religion cannot be the basis to determine citizenship. When the Supreme Court will hear this, I fully hope that the law’s unconstitutionality will be out,” he said.

    The objective of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act is to grant Indian citizenship to people of minority communities Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who had come to India till December 31, 2014, due to religious persecution in these countries.

    The state witnessed violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in 2019 and five persons lost their lives.

    The protestors saw the law as a threat to their cultural identity and livelihood.

    Tiwari said that the Congress-led UPA brought 27 crore people out of the Below Poverty Line category during its 10- year rule at the Centre.

    “This was stated by current Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her last budget speech. On the other hand, 27 crore people have fallen in BPL category in the last seven years of the NDA,” he said.

    India’s economy grew at 7.8 per cent during the UPA’s 10 years, while this year’s GDP growth rate is minus 7.7 per cent, he added.

    “Communal harmony is essential for the development of any state. The BJP’s electoral model is religious polarisation between Hindus and Muslims. It is not attached to any religion, but only power,” he said.

  • Bodoland Peoples Front candidate joins BJP in the midst of polls in Assam

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) candidate Rangja Khungur Basumatary Thursday joined BJP ahead of the third phase of poll in Assam when the constituency in which he is a contestant is slated to go to the poll.

    Basumatary had reportedly gone missing for two days and at around midnight on Wednesday, senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma had tweeted that he had met the BPF candidate, who would join the saffron party.

    BPF is an ally of the opposition Congress in Assam, where two out of the slated three phased poll got over on Thursday.

    “Official candidate of BPF and so called Congress-led alliance from Tamulpur LAC (legislative assembly constituency), Sri Ram Das Basumatary met me a short while ago. He has expressed his desire to Join @BJP4India and retire from the election,” Sarma tweeted.

    Rangja Khungur Basumatary is also known as Ram Das Basumatary.

    Basumatary told a local TV channel that he had decided to resign from BPF as the party did not lend any helping hand to him during the campaign.

    Efforts made to contact him failed as his phone was switched off.

    A statement by the Congress confirmed that Basumatary has joined the BJP on Thursday.

    Tamulpur constituency is in Baksa district under Bodoland Territorial Region and will go to the poll during the third phase on April 6.

    Reacting to the development, Congress MP Manish Tiwari said that Basumatary had gone missing due to threatening by BJPN and lambasted the saffron party for it.

    Never in India did such immoral activities take place during elections – you (BJP) threatened to use the National Investigation Agency against the party and the candidate.

    “You(BJP) want to win the poll by wrong means. This is a fascist mentality and it is BJP’s education. That party does not believe in democracy and democratic systems. This is absolutely the worst spectare of fascism that is on display in the Assam polls,” he told a press conference here.

    Tiwari demanded that the BJP government in the state tell the people what had happened to Basumatary for two days.

    “I demand a detailed probe into the incident by Election Commission. How come such an incident took place in front of the EC? Is the EC blindfolded?” the Congress leader said.

    AICC spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said a Congress delegation will meet the EC Thursday evening to seek deferment of voting in Tamulpur constituency and disqualification of Sarma, a senior Assam minister, from contesting and further campaigning for the state poll as he is a “repeat offender” of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

    Vallabh questioned why the EC was not checking Basumatary’s call records to find his whereabouts.

    “We demand that the call records of Basumatary be made public so that the people of Assam get to know what coercion, intimidation or what proposal forced him to join hands with the BJP,” Vallabh said.

    Commenting on the EC notice to Sarma for allegedly threatening BPF chief Hagrama Mohilary with using the NIA against him, Tiwari said “The EC issued the notice because it is convinced that such threatening language is not acceptable.

    “The EC prima facie found him guilty. It is a conspiracy against the candidate. It is an attempt to subvert the election process. They (BJP) don’t believe in democracy and that is why they are resorting to such practice of threatening a candidate who is in the poll contest.

    Sarma had said that he had got evidence of Mohilary’s alleged links with the recent recoveries of arms in Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) and the case was being given to the NIA for investigation.

    Later the state Director General of Police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta had reportedly said that there was evidence of militant and his group in the arms recovery.

    “We ask the Gujarati Mama (referring to Sarma’s allegiance to BJP and that he is popularly called ‘Mama’) when did that evidence come? If it came before the MCC came into force, then why were you silent? It means you were indulging in a criminal offence. If it came after the MCC came into force, then how and who gave the evidence to you because police now reports to the Election Commission.

    “Yesterday the DGP said that he has all the information. Is it a coincidence or deliberate? DGP Sir why are you not taking any action? Who has tied your hands? By making such statements, you are not strengthening the democracy, but weakening it,” Vallabh added.

  • Assam polls: EC slaps notice on Himanta for ‘threat’ remarks on Hagrama Mohilary

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: The Election Commission has served a notice on Assam Minister and BJP stalwart Himanta Biswa Sarma for allegedly threatening Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) chief Hagrama Mohilary.

    He has been asked to explain his position on or before 5 pm of April 2 failing which “the Commission will make a decision without any further reference to you”.

    Two days ago, the Congress, which is an ally of the BPF, had lodged a complaint with the Commission alleging that Sarma had intimidated the rebel leader-turned-politician Mohilary.

    ALSO READ | People have shown red card to Congress-AIUDF alliance: PM Modi in Assam

    “…Wherein it has been alleged that Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP leader, and Cabinet Minister has openly threatened Shri Hagrama Mohilary, Chairperson of Bodoland People’s Front and INC alliance partner of sending him to jail by misusing the Central Agency NIA, and whereas, the party further alleged that by the said threats, Sh. Sarma has also attempted to influence the voters to not vote for INC alliance, including Sh. Mohilary’s party.

    “Whereas the Commission has obtained full transcript of Sh. Biswa Sarma’s statement from Chief Electoral Officer, Assam and whereas, the Commission is, prima facie, of the view that Sh. Sarma has violated the above said provisions of the Model Code of Conduct. Now, therefore, the Commission gives you an opportunity to explain your position in making the…statement on or before 5 pm of 2nd April,” the notice reads.

    Sarma allegedly threatened to send Mohilary to jail if he is found to encourage MD Batha, who purportedly returned to the jungle a year after he had laid down weapons.

  • Assam Jatiya Parishad files complaint with election office against BJP candidate Rama Kanta Dewri

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: The Assam Jatiya Parishad on Wednesday complained to the Chief Electoral Officer against sitting BJP MLA and Morigain candidate Rama Kanta Dewri for allegedly distributing money.

    The newly floated political party enclosed a video, which has gone viral showing Dewri of handing over money to some women.

    The complaint to the CEO said the BJP MLA is “clearly seen to have distributed money in cash amongst a crowd predominantly consisted of women”.

    “The act appears to be a clear case of corrupt practices and electoral offence under the legal provisions governing conduct of elections which warrant stern action by the ECI,” AJP Office Secretary Nikhil Bhattacharjya said in the letter.

    The party demanded an inquiry into the matter and “appropriate legal action” against the candidate.

    Morigaon constituency is going to polls in the second phase on Thursday.

    Dewri will have a direct contest against CPI candidate Munin Mahanta, who is representing the Congress-led Grand Alliance.

    AJP’s Banikanta Das is also in the fray from the Morigaon seat.

  • Congress used minorities as commodity, exploited their sentiments for vote bank politics: Jitendra Singh

    Jitendra Singh said a dangerous phenomenon is being witnessed in the Assam election and the BJP is determined to thwart this evil design.

  • Assam polls: AIUDF will back a Congress CM, says Badruddin Ajmal

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, chief of Assam’s minority-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), has reiterated he is not in the race for the chief minister’s chair if the Congress-led grand alliance of Opposition grabs power.

    “I am very happy to hear from my friends in Upper Assam that the Congress-led #Mahajot has swept the first phase (polls). The lowest figure I am hearing from anyone is 30 seats. AIUDF looks forward to supporting a Congress Chief Minister after 2 May,” Ajmal tweeted on Sunday.

    This is the second time that he asserted the CM candidate would be from the Congress if the Opposition alliance rises to power. His latest statement comes as Assam Minister and BJP’s face in the Northeast, Himanta Biswa Sarma, is allegedly trying to polarize the voters by telling them that the AIUDF chief would become the Assam CM if the “Mahajot” grabs power.

    ALSO READ | Why did BJP spend crores on newspaper ad if it’s confident of winning all Upper Assam seats: Congress

    Ajmal is viewed by his rivals and critics as a sympathizer of the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. The AIUDF was floated in 2005 and most of its MLAs have been from the minority community.

    Recently, Sarma had asserted that the BJP does not need the votes of the “Miyas” (Bengali-speaking Muslims), viewed the AIUDF’s vote-bank. Later, he revised the statement by stating “I don’t need the votes of the Miyas”. His Jalukbari constituency has a negligible number of Bengali-speaking Muslim voters.

    The Congress-led grand alliance was formed with ten parties last month with the sole intention of ousting the BJP from power. The Congress-AIUDF alliance is expected to thwart the split of anti-BJP votes. In the 2016 elections, the Congress-AIUDF combine’s vote share was more than that of the winning candidates from either the BJP or the AGP in 14 of the state’s 126 seats.

    The first phase elections on March 27 were held in 47 constituencies across Upper Assam and parts of Northern and Central Assam. The BJP-AGP combine had won 35 of the 47 seats in the last election. The Assamese-majority Upper Assam also has a sizeable population of tea garden workers.

  • Assam polls a struggle to save people from BJP’s misrule: Congress leader Sachin Pilot

    By PTI
    SILCHAR/KARIMGANJ: Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday claimed that the assembly election in Assam is a struggle to save the people of the state from the “misrule” of the BJP.

    The BJP government never stood by the people during the hour of crisis, Pilot alleged while addressing two election meetings at Silchar and Karimganj in Barak Valley region.

    “We are not fighting to come to power, but to save the people of Assam from the misrule of the BJP,” he said.

    The BJP is dividing people on religious lines and they need to remain united in Assam and India, the former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan said.

    “When people were in crisis during the demonetisation, GST and lockdown, the BJP government was nowhere to be seen. So, it is time that we remove the party from power,” he added.

    The Congress will form the next government in Assam, Pilot asserted.

    “In five years, the BJP gave CAA, NRC, autocracy, inflation and communalism, but not jobs. The biggest challenge today in front of the country and Assam is unemployment. The Congress has guaranteed that it will give five lakh government jobs (in five years),” he said.

    The Congress, once voted to power, will also implement 50 per cent reservation for women in all government jobs, Pilot said.

    In an apparent reference to rumours of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and senior minister Himanta Biswa Sarma acting as rival power centres in the outgoing government, he said, “In Assam, nobody knows who is the CM.

    Is he the person who took the oath or the one who wants to be the CM?” The BJP has not announced its chief ministerial candidate before the polls and said that a decision in this regard will be taken by its Parliamentary Board at the time of forming the next government.

    Pilot along with All India Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev also led a procession in Karimganj town in support of Congress candidates.

  • Assam assembly elections: Congress lodges complaint with EC over BJP’s ‘deceptive’ ad

    By Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: The Congress has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission demanding action after a BJP advertisement in several local dailies allegedly suggested the party’s victory in all seats of Upper Assam, which voted in the first phase of assembly polls on Saturday.

    Assam Congress alleged that BJP carried a misleading advertisement in multiple dailies, suggesting its victory in these constituencies.

    “… The advertisement has been published in the form of a news report for canvassing in favour of BJP to influence and deceive the public/voters for the remaining two phases of polls across the state,” Niran Borah, who is the chairman of the Congress’ legal department, wrote to Assam chief electoral officer Nitin Khade.

    ALSO READ | Congress urges EC to register FIRs against JP Nadda, Sarbananda Sonowal for ads predicting outcome of Assam polls

    Congress has demanded strict action against the BJP, as well as the newspapers in question, for publishing the ad, in a news format, which is in violation of the model code of conduct, and requested for assurance that the remaining two phases of elections are conducted in a free and fair manner.

    “Further, till the conclusion of polling of present election, the circulation of the said news items/advertisement is to be stopped for publication in all forms of electronic media, social media, etc. for the holding of the present election in a fair and impartial manner,” the complaint further read.

    The stakes appeared high for ruling BJP and its ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) in the first phase of polling.

    In the 2016 elections, 35 of the 47 seats, which went to polls in the first phase, were bagged by the BJP (27) and AGP (8).

    The Congress had won nine, All India United Democratic Front – two and there was an independent victor.

  • Congress urges EC to register FIRs against JP Nadda, Sarbananda Sonowal for ads predicting outcome of Assam polls

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: With the BJP advertising claims of winning all seats in upper Assam, the Congress on Sunday said it is in violation of the Representation of the People Act and urged the Election Commission to register FIRs against BJP chief JP Nadda and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

    In a complaint to the Election Commission (EC), Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala, Ajay Maken and Mukul Wasnik sought directions and action against top BJP leaders for giving advertisements in newspapers claiming victory in all upper Assam seats.

    They said such advertisements are in clear violation of the directions given by the EC that no one can make predictions of the results during the prohibited period.

    “We pray to the EC to take all such actions as may be necessary and required in law, including direction for registration of offences against Sarbananda Sonowal, J P Nadda and Ranjit Kumar Dass for the blatant violation of Model Code of Conduct and the RP Act, 1951,” the Congress stated.

    The party also demanded action against the media publishing such advertisements.

    Assam goes to polls in three phases and the first phase of polling was held on March 27.

    “The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), after realising that their defeat is inevitable, has resorted to desperate illegal and unconstitutional methods to influence voters across the state,” the Congress said in a memorandum to the poll body.

    The Congress leaders alleged that in a “pre-planned conspiracy” and in order to “defraud the voters of Assam”, Sonowal, Nadda, Assam BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass and other BJP members and functionaries “willfully and knowingly have today issued advertisements camouflaged as political predictions as headlines on front page, in various newspapers throughout Assam”.

    They said through such ads, the BJP leaders have disseminated “false/untrue outcome of the results” of the first phase of voting in Assam and have “falsely claimed that BJP will win all constituencies of upper Assam”.

    Surjewala told reporters that the advertisements have been presented in a manner on the front page of every newspaper “to prejudice the minds of the voters of Assam”.

    “The advertisements have been presented in a manner so as to look like a ‘newspaper headline’. This deliberate, malicious and malafide set of advertisements are in clear violation of Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which is punishable up to two years of imprisonment and fine,” he said.

    “These desperate acts of the BJP have been carried out with malice to soil the fairness of the electoral process, to save their sinking ship and gain undue advantage in the Assembly elections of Assam. It should be dealt with by the ECI with the strongest possible action under law,” he added.

    The Congress leader asserted that the poll body is mandated to safeguard the voters’ democratic and fundamental right to vote freely and without undue influence.

    “We request the Election Commission to exercise its power under Article 324 of the Constitution of India to preserve the doctrine of free and fair elections and register FIRs against the persons mentioned. We also urge the Commission to direct all news publication and channels to desist from abetting the crime being committed by BJP leaders as also to adhere to and follow the EC instructions of March 26,” he said.