Tag: Assam elections

  • Populism, Hindutva, ethnic outreach: BJP’s three-pronged strategy pays rich dividends in Assam

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: A three-pronged strategy by the BJP helped it sweep the Assam polls and retain power.

    The BJP managed to counter the Congress-led grand alliance of the Opposition through developmentalism coupled with populist schemes; core Hindutva with continuous focus on the threat to the land, language and culture of the indigenous populace from the illegal immigrants; and by aligning with ethnic political outfits to marginalize the discontent of mainstream Assamese.

    By indulging in competitive populism, the BJP-led government had targeted all communities, particularly tea workers, with various welfare schemes.

    The government had also come up with schemes for the weaker sex, including unmarried women and widows. Unmarried women from poor families get one-time financial assistance of Rs 40,000 during their wedding. Widows belonging to BPL category get a lump sum pension of Rs 300 per month.

    HIGHLIGHTS: How the Assam Assembly election results unfolded

    Under the Arunodoi Scheme launched last year, financial assistance of Rs 830 per month is given to around 17 lakh families where women, being the primary caretakers of the family, are the beneficiaries. In its election manifesto, the BJP had promised to increase the assistance to Rs 3,000 and the number of beneficiaries to 30 lakh. The BJP had also made admission in government institutions free from the primary level to post-graduation.

    Another measure of the party’s competitive populism was gifting scooties to girl students who excel in their Class 12 board exams. This election, the party had announced a gift of bullet bikes to boys but did not mention the eligibility criteria.

    “Without looking at the overall fundamentals of the economy, the BJP had created huge beneficiary schemes for all segments of the society. During electioneering, it also constantly talked about the threat to Assamese civilisation from illegal immigrants after the Congress had aligned with the minority-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF),” political scientist Akhil Ranjan Dutta of Gauhati University said.

    The AIUDF, seen by many in Assam as the protector of illegal immigrants, is a component of the 10-party and Congress-led grand alliance of the Opposition.

    ALSO READ: Himanta Biswa Sarma: Man of the Match of the Assam elections

    Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was at the forefront of the campaign against the AIUDF. He tried to scare people into believing that voting for the Congress would mean inviting AIUDF chief and MP Maulana Badruddin Ajmal to Dispur, the state’s seat of power.

    In the lead-up to the polls, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had made an appeal to the voters to defeat the Mughals, alluding to the AIUDF. So, the campaign had an impact on the Assamese people, particularly in Upper Assam where a strong sentiment of Assamese sub-nationalism works.

    The Assamese are inherently linked to “namghars” which are Vaishnavite prayer centres. Almost every village has a namghar. As part of its core Hindutva, the BJP-led government had offered Rs 2.5 lakh each to 8,000 namghars across the state for a makeover and evicted alleged illegal immigrants from the Kaziranga National Park and some “satras” that are institutional centers associated with Vaishnavism.

    The BJP could reach every ethnic community both in the hills and the plains. The Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) was a challenge but the BJP found a competent ally in the United People’s Party Liberal.

    The saffron party retained ethnic political outfits such as Rabha Joutha Mancha and Tiwa Oikko Mancha. The Gana Shakti, floated a few years ago by tribal Mishing leaders, got handicapped after the BJP had managed to bring its top two leaders to its fold.

    Six communities, such as Tai-Ahom, Moran, Motok, Chutia, Tea Tribe and Koch-Rajbangshi, have for long been demanding Scheduled Tribe status. The BJP had managed to quell the movement to some extent with its decision to create territorial councils for the Koch-Rajbongshi, Moran and Motok communities. The tea workers were kept in good humour with cash bonanza and a number of welfares schemes.

    Over the past five years, the BJP focused on infrastructure development. After capturing power, it first finished the unfinished projects of the previous Congress government. Thereafter, it started building roads, including highways, statewide. It is also building three bridges over the Brahmaputra.

    Dutta observes that parties retaining power has become a post-economic liberalization phenomenon.

    “If you look at post-economic liberalization from 2002, any government coming to power in any state is having at least two terms in power. It is due to competitive populism. It happened to the Tarun Gogoi government, Nitish Kumar government, Naveen Patnaik government, Narendra Modi government, AIADMK government,” Dutta said.

  • Stage set for counting of votes in Assam with strict adherence to Covid safety protocols

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: The Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements for counting of votes on May 2 for the Assam assembly polls by putting in place measures to ensure strict adherence to health protocols, as it is taking place amid a raging second wave of COVID-19, an official said on Saturday.

    A three-tier security apparatus has also been arranged at the 331 counting halls across the state that voted in three phases on March 27, April 1 and April 6.

    Considering the fact that coronavirus infection is raging in the state, steps have been taken to ensure that COVID guidelines are strictly followed during the counting.

    Arrangements have been made for sanitising the counting venues frequently during the process.

    Wearing of face masks and use of sanitisers have been made mandatory for entering the counting halls.

    EVMs and VVPATs at the well-ventilated counting venues will be sanitised before the commencement of the process.

    Tables will be placed in the counting halls in such a way so that social distancing norms are maintained.

    Unlike in 2016 assembly elections when there were 143 counting halls with 14 tables each, the number of tables has been reduced to seven per hall this time.

    Only candidates and their agents, who have received both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine or have tested negative for the infection, will be allowed to enter a counting venue on Sunday.

    According to the Assam Health and Family Welfare department, approximately 35,000 counting officials, and agents of candidates, to be engaged in the process, have got themselves tested on April 30 in pre-identified and notified testing centres.

    No public gathering outside the counting venue will be allowed during the process, he said.

    An average 82.04 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the three phase elections to 126 assembly constituencies.

    Chief Electoral Officer, Assam, Nitin Khade said, participation of women in the polling was “remarkable” with 80.63 per cent of the total women voters exercising their franchise.

  • Assam Congress alleges lapses in security of EVMs, strong room ahead of counting day

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: The Congress’ Assam unit on Thursday filed a complaint with the Election Commission alleging “serious discrepancies” regarding the safety of a strong room and electronic voting machines used in the recently held assembly poll and demanded an enquiry into the matter.

    In a letter to the Election Commission, Assam Congress chief Ripun Bora claimed that the lack of safety of a strong room and EVMS were noticed in several assembly constituencies in Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh and Goalpara districts.

    The tags/slips bearing the number of ballot unit, control unit and the VVPAT used in two polling stations under the Dhakuakhana seat in Lakhimpur district were found by Congress supporters outside the sealed strong room in which they were kept, Bora alleged in the letter.

    At Moran, Lahowal, Dibrugarh and Chabua constituencies in Dibrugarh district, the identification numbers of the EVM, control unit, ballot unit and the VVPAT did not match with those given to the contesting candidates before the poll, the state Congress president claimed.

    In another incident in Goalpara district, Bora claimed in the letter, three persons carrying electronic devices on Wednesday entered the inner parameter of the strong room as well as the control room of the closed circuit camera on the pretext of some repairing works in the CC unit without making entries in the logbook.

    Congress candidates of these constituencies have already lodged complaints with their respective returning officers or district election officers over the alleged lapses.

    The assembly election was held in Assam in three phases on March 27, April 1 and 6.

    Counting will be held on May 2.

  • COVID test for officials, agents who will attend May 2 counting process in Assam

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: Assam Health and Family Welfare department on Wednesday said that approximately 35,000 counting officials and counting agents who will be part of the May 2 declaration of the results process will have to get tested for the virus on April 30.

    The testing of all engaged in the counting process is mandatory and will be done in pre-identified and notified testing centres, according to a Standard Operating Peocedure (SOP) issued by State Nodal Officer (Health), 2021 Assam assembly elections Anurag Goel following discussions with Chief Electoral Officer Nitin Khade.

    The centres may be a government school or institutions with spacious premises where large scale testing can be conducted by maintaining social distancing.

    Each testing location shall be arranged with multiple counters where registration and testing of the personnel can be undertaken and sufficient lab technicians under a medical officer shall be notified for each testing location in consultation with the Joint Director of Health Services of the district.

    All counting officials and agents will be tested with Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) and if found negative, will be given a RAT negative certificate at the testing point which they will have to show at the counting hall on May two.

    If any counting officials or agents are found positive in RAT, he/she shall be provided medical facilities in the nearest COVID hospital or any other isolated centres kept for the purpose or home isolation.

    Only the symptomatic RAT negative persons need to be tested with RT-PCR and such symptomatic persons should not be engaged for counting purposes unless the results are made available by May one.

    The concerned person shall remain in home quarantine until the result is available.

    The concerned Deputy Commissioners shall notify a nodal officer for receiving, testing and reporting the results of the counting officials and agents in a smooth manner.

    All relevant COVID protection materials shall be provided to the counting officials and agents by the district election officers.

    The stock of all necessary materials shall be verified and confirmed in advance and shall be provided to them immediately on arrival at the counting venue and this include gloves, masks and PPE kits wherever applicable and hand sanitizers at multiple points for easy access.

    The three-phase election to 126-member Assam assembly is over and the results will be declared on Sunday along with that of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala besides the Union Territory of Puducherry.

  • Fearing horse-trading by BJP, Congress shepherds Assam candidates to picturesque resort

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: With the day of the results drawing near, the Congress has shepherded its Assam candidates to a resort at picturesque Sonapur on the outskirts of Guwahati.

    The basic idea is to keep the flock together and away from poachers. The March-April polls were keenly contested between the BJP-led ruling coalition and the Congress-led 10-party grand alliance of the Opposition.

    The Congress is more or less convinced the ruling alliance has been rejected by the people and it is not going to get a majority.

    Congress spokesperson Bobbeeta Sarma said, “It is an internal matter of the party that they (candidates) want to stay together for a few days in an environment of relaxation.”

    However, the party’s three-time Mariani MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi claimed the BJP had started sending feelers to one or two candidates.

    “Somebody may ask why we are doing this but one must recall how things had unfolded in Goa and Manipur where the BJP had formed the government by buying Congress MLAs. It has started sending feelers to one or two Assam Congress candidates,” he claimed.

    “The BJP will try and threaten the MLAs from Opposition parties by saying that they will be implicated in some case. It will also try to lure them with money. This brand of politics has to be stopped,” Kurmi said.

    He said the people of Punjab, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh had rejected the BJP and it would meet a similar fate in Assam.

    “The BJP has already suffered a big jolt in the elections. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had fielded their own candidates,” the Congress MLA said, suggesting the BJP had not fielded consensus candidates.

    Exuding confidence that the Opposition alliance will capture power, he said Congress would give respect to each and every candidate.

    “Someone will become the CM and others will become ministers and chairmen of boards and corporations. Some others will be given responsibilities in the party,” Kurmi asserted.

    He said the candidates lodged at the Dichang resort were being convinced by the Congress leaders that the grand alliance would form the government with absolute majority.

    Over the next few days, the Congress candidates will take part in poetry recitation, dance and singing competitions.

    “It’s good that the resort has a gym. I have a two-pack abs and I will try to make it six-pack by fully utilising my time,” Kurmi said with a grin.

  • Assam polls: Ajmal’s AIUDF packs off its candidates to Rajasthan to thwart possible horse-trading

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: To thwart possible horse-trading by the BJP, Assam’s minority-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) on Friday sent all its candidates of the recently-concluded Assembly elections to Congress-ruled Rajasthan in a chartered plane.

    “All of us have just landed in Rajasthan. The Rajasthan Chief Minister (Ashok Gehlot) has made arrangements for our stay,” one of the AIUDF candidates said.

    He said AIUDF chief, Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, had not accompanied the team. “He is in Mumbai,” the candidate said.

    The results of the keenly-contested Assam elections will be declared on May 2.

    ALSO READ | ‘No lockdown’: Assam all set to celebrate Bihu with Covid curbs

    Speculations are rife the 20 AIUDF candidates could be taken further to Dubai from Rajasthan. AIUDF sources could not say when exactly they will return to Assam.

    The AIUDF is a component of Assam’s 10-party and Congress-led grand alliance of Opposition. It was formed two months back to oust the BJP from power.

    AIUDF sources said the candidates would visit Ajmer Sharif during their stay. They will be provided with separate mobile phones so that others cannot contact them, the sources said.

    The AIUDF is not taking any chances given past experiences. In the last Manipur elections, the Congress had bagged 28 of the 60 seats and the BJP had won 22 but it managed to cobble up the numbers as some MLAs defected and form the government.

  • Assam Deputy Speaker quizzed, five cops suspended for firing at crowd

    By Express News Service
    SILCHAR (ASSAM) : Assam Assembly Deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar was quizzed twice and five police personnel attached to him were suspended after they opened fire at public during second phase of polling, officials said Tuesday.

    At least three persons were injured in the firing by the body guards of Laskar on April 1 after clashes broke out between supporters of BJP and AIUDF inside the polling station at 463 Madhya Dhanehori LP School of Sonai constituency.

    Police sources said Laskar was interrogated twice for several hours during the last 48 hours and his statements have been recorded in front of a magistrate.

    Sitting MLA Laskar is having a direct fight with Karim Uddin Barbhuiya of the AIUDF on Sonai seat.

    When contacted, Cachar SP Bhanwar Lal Meena said all the police personnel attached to the deputy speaker have been removed from the duty with immediate effect in view of the ongoing probe. 

  • Assam polls: Final phase records 82.28% voters’ turnout

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: The third and final phase Assam polls on Tuesday recorded a voters’ turnout of 82.28%.

    The first two phases of polling in 47 and 39 constituencies had recorded voters’ turnout of 79.97% and 80.96% respectively.

    Forty of the state’s 126 constituencies, spread across 12 districts of Lower Assam, went to polls on Tuesday. In the 2016 elections, BJP and Congress had won 11 of these seats each, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) six, Bodoland People’s Front eight, and Asom Gana Parishad four.

    Polling was by and large peaceful although there were some stray incidents of violence. The police had to use force when two groups of people clashed over some issues at a polling station in the Golakganj constituency in Dhubri district.

    At Guptipara in Bilasipara West constituency, also in Dhubri district, a group of people attacked security personnel over the distribution of free masks. The police restored order by resorting to lathicharge.

    ALSO READ | HIGHLIGHTS | Final phase of polling concludes in Assam, five more rounds of ‘khela’ left in Bengal

    The police used batons also outside a polling booth in Bongaigaon to restore order after a large crowd arrived leading to a commotion.

    Siramjit Rabha, a 92-year-old voter, who said he has been voting since independence, was felicitated by election officials after he had cast his vote at the Kothakuthi Lower Primary School under the Dudhnai constituency in Goalpara district.

    Of Assam’s 2,33,74,087 voters, 2,89,474 were aged 80 years or above and 1,38,290 were voters with disabilities.

    Meanwhile, Assam Assembly Deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar was interrogated twice in the past 48 hours in connection with an incident of firing by his bodyguards on April 1. Five of them were suspended.

    Three people were injured when the personnel opened fire after clashes had broken out between BJP and AIUDF supporters at a polling station in the Sonai constituency.

  • Press the button: India enters the busiest phase of Assembly polls 2021

    By Express News Service
    Tuesday will mark the busiest day of the election season with Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Bengal going to polls. 

    Assam will witness the third and final phase of voting, while it’s a single-phase for Kerala, TN and Puducherry. For Bengal, it’s the 3rd of the 8th-phase voting that will end on April 29. 

    The results will be declared on May 2. 

    In West Bengal, 205 candidates are fighting for 31 seats. Among the prominent contestants are Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee (TMC) and journalist Swapan Dasgupta (BJP).

    In Assam, 337 candidates are vying for 40 Assembly constituencies.

    The Congress-led grand alliance may have an edge as most of the constituencies going to polls on Tuesday are dominated by Bengali-speaking Muslims, who are known to support the grand old party. 

    In Kerala, a total of 957 candidates, including 123 women, and one third-gender person are contesting in 140 seats spread over 14 districts.

    The ruling CPM-led LDF hopes to retain power by breaking the state’s famed ‘incumbency jinx’, while the Congress-led UDF is confident of winning a comfortable majority. Meanwhile, the NDA is eyeing the kingmaker position by bagging seats in double-digits.

    An apolitical collective called Twenty-20, which has made impressive inroads in the recently held local body polls, is also in the fray.

    Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (CPM), Oommen Chandy (Congress), ‘Metro Man’ E Sreedharan (BJP) and K Surendran (BJP) are among the big names seeking their electoral fate. 

    Did you know?

    If your name is not on the voters list, there is no way you can cast your ballot

    But if you find that someone has already cast your vote, then ask for a ‘tender vote’ and exercise your voting right after satisfactorily establishing your identity with the presiding officer

    A look at key figures and characters…

  • Assembly elections phase three: Congress, allies hold edge in minority-heavy lower Assam

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: The Congress-led grand alliance appears to have an edge over the BJP-led ruling alliance in the 40 constituencies where the third and final phase of Assam elections will be held on Tuesday.These seats are spread across lower Assam.

    In the 2016 elections in these seats, BJP and Congress had won 11 each. Bengali-speaking Muslims, considered to be the vote bank of Congress and the minority-based AIUDF, are large majorities in several of these seats.

    Congress heads the 10-party grand alliance, which also has AIUDF and BPF as components.

    In 2016, they did not have an alliance among them. BPF was a BJP ally then.In 14 of the state’s 126 seats, the combined vote share of Congress-AIUDF was more than that of the winning candidates from BJP or its ally AGP. Four of these constituencies are going to polls on Tuesday.

    There is a perception that the Congress-AIUDF deal will prevent the split of anti-BJP votes.

    Another factor that could harm BJP is its decision to sever ties with BPF. The saffron party has found a new ally in United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). In 2016, BPF had won all 12 seats in BTR.

    Eight of these are going to polls in the third phase. BPF, which ruled the autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council for 17 successive years till last December, is expected to give UPPL a run for its money.

    Key constituencies in this phase are Jalukbari, Patacharkuchi, Dharmapur and Bongaigaon. Jalukbari is held by the BJP’s strongman and minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. BJP state president Ranjeet Kumar Dass is contesting from Patacharkuchi.

    He had won the last election from Sorbhog.The first two phases of polling in 47 and 39 constituencies had recorded voter turnouts of 79.97 per cent and 80.96 per cent, respectively. 

    Three arrested for attacking EVM truck 

    Silchar (Assam): Three persons were arrested for allegedly attacking a truck carrying reserve EVMs in Cachar district during the second phase of polling, a police officer said on Monday.

    The police have identified more than 20 people for their alleged involvement in the incident which occurred at Jhapirbond near the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project.