News Analysis India

Tag: Assam polls 2021

  • Assam Mahajot: Hotchpotch alliance with contrasting ideologies and no CM face

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: The hotchpotch alliance of 10 Assam Opposition parties with contrasting ideologies which also had no chief ministerial face found few takers in the polls.

    The “Mahajot”, formed two months ago to oust the BJP from power, was led by the Congress but it has been faced with a leadership crisis and plagued by factionalism ever since the death of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. 

    The Congress and the minority-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) had come together to thwart the split of anti-BJP and anti-Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) votes. In the 2016 elections, their combined vote share was more than that of the winning candidates from the BJP-led alliance in 14 seats.

    If the move reaped dividends for the alliance in some seats of Bengali Muslim-majority Central and Lower Assam besides Barak Valley, it cost the Congress dear in the Assamese-majority Upper Assam. In a state where there is a threat to the local civilisation due to illegal migration from Bangladesh, the voters in Upper Assam were upset that the Congress had aligned with the AIUDF, perceived to be the protector of the illegal immigrants.

    “The alliance with the AIUDF has affected us greatly in Upper Assam,” a Congress insider told The New Indian Express. 

    Outlining the other reasons behind defeat, he said the Congress had a leadership vacuum after Gogoi’s death. 

    “Nobody respected any leader. The people too did not accept the leadership of Pradesh Congress chief Ripun Bora. As we did not have a CM face, people were confused,” he said. 

    The Congress insider admitted that the two new parties, Raijor Dal and Asom Jatiya Parishad, had caused a split of the anti-BJP and anti-AGP votes in several seats of Upper Assam, thereby greatly affecting the Congress.

    “The anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) votes went to several Opposition parties. As such, we were on the losing side,” he added.

    The Congress had announced five-star “guarantees” including “’nullifying” CAA in Assam, providing five lakh government jobs to youth over a period of five years, 200 units of free electricity per household, raising tea garden workers’ daily wage to Rs 365 from existing Rs 167 and Rs 2,000 monthly income support to all housewives. However, not many voters believed the party could fulfil the promises.

    The Congress had, apparently, also over-estimated or miscalculated the anti-CAA public sentiments. Even as it campaigned aggressively on the issue, several leaders of the anti-CAA movement had joined the BJP. The movement had died an early death due to the pandemic.

    The voters could not trust the Congress also due to the fact that the 15-year party rule under Gogoi was marked by large-scale corruption and dissidence. In sharp contrast, the BJP-led government had gone for the jugular of the corrupt. It did not spare even the children of lawmakers while cleansing the Assam Public Service Commission which had earned notoriety due to a cash-for-jobs scam.

  • Following EC’s COVID guidelines, Assam BJP not to celebrate victory in polls

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: The BJP, which is heading for a win in Assam as indicated by trends, on Sunday decided not to celebrate the victory in compliance with the direction of the Election Commission (EC) prohibiting victory processions during or after the counting of votes in view of surging COVID-19 cases.

    State BJP chief spokesperson Rupam Goswami told PTI that supporters were told to follow the COVID-related guidelines issued by the EC and not to gather at the party head office in Guwahati.

    The ruling BJP-led alliance in Assam is leading in 73 assembly constituencies and appears set to retain power for the second consecutive term, as trends were available for 120 seats.

    The state assembly has 126 seats and the saffron party has already won two.

    The BJP is contesting the elections in alliance with the AGP and the United Peoples’ Party Liberal.

    Its challenger, the Congress, formed a ‘Grand Alliance’ with the All India United Democratic Front and several other parties.

    The poll panel has written to political parties barring them from organising celebratory processions and congregations during or after the counting of votes.

    In another letter to the chief secretary of the states where votes are counted on Sunday, the EC has asked the administration to take action against all police stations that would fail to stop enthusiasts from taking out rallies.

    The EC has also directed the authorities to take penal action against violators in all such cases under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and other laws and place erring police officials under suspension.

  • Congress claims it will win in Assam despite trends favouring BJP

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: Despite trends till Sunday afternoon showing a comeback for the BJP in Assam, the Congress claimed that the Grand Alliance of the opposition parties will emerge victorious and form the government once the final results are out.

    All India Congress Committee National General Secretary Jitendra Singh said the trends so far will be reversed in the next two to four hours.

    “I am still saying that the ‘Mahajot’ will form the government. Only 3-4 rounds are over at this moment, while counting will continue for more than 15 rounds in most of the seats,” said Singh, the in-charge of Assam Congress.

    He appealed to the people to “wait for another 2-4 hours by when the tally is likely to reverse”.

    Click here for LIVE UPDATES on Assam poll results

    When it was pointed out that the state Congress chief Ripun Bora is trailing, Singh said “Yes, our president is trailing at this moment. But these countings are very dynamic and will change any moment.”

    Bora was trailing by 5,039 votes at 1:45 pm against BJP’s sitting MLA Utpal Borah in Gohpur constituency. As per the Election Commission website the BJP is leading in 60 out of the total 126 assembly seats. Its allies AGP in 11 and UPPL in seven.

    The Congress has made progress in 26 and its partners All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) is leading in 11, Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) in three and CPI(M) in one seat.

    The Congress, which was in power for 15 years in Assam since 2001, had formed a ‘Grand Alliance’ with AIUDF, BPF, CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), Anchalik Gana Morcha, RJD, Adivasi National Party and Jimochayan (Deori) Peoples Party to fight the Assembly election against the BJP-led NDA.

  • Assam polls: Can Congress stop BJP juggernaut?

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: The results of the Assam elections on Sunday will decide if the BJP retains power or a nationally-weakened Congress stages a comeback.

    Assam, in one way, is a vital state for both parties. For the BJP, the state is important not just for the party organisation but also for party ideology – the National Register of Citizens or NRC is its flagship ideological programme.

    For the Congress, which is losing almost everywhere, the return to power will give the party much-needed oxygen. The exit polls have given an edge to the BJP-led ruling coalition which has the regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) as components.

    Similarly, 10 parties, led by the Congress, had formed a grand alliance of Opposition ahead of the polls. Its two other key constituents are minority-based All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), which is an estranged ally of the BJP.

    The elections were fought on the planks of development, welfare of state’s tea garden community, Citizenship (Amendment) Act, waiving off the loans of women taken from microfinance institutions, giving jobs to the unemployed, protecting the “satras” (Vaishnavite prayer centres) and the rhinos etc.

    Forty-seven of the state’s 126 seats, which went to first phase elections on March 27, will be decisive for the BJP. In the 2016 polls, the BJP-AGP combine had bagged 35 of them, spread across five Parliamentary constituencies of Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Tezpur and Kaliabor in Upper and Northern Assam. They have large numbers of Assamese and tea garden voters.

    ALSO READ | Assam logs record 26 COVID deaths in one day, 3,197 new cases; night curfew extended till May 7

    For long, the tea workers had voted for the Congress until they started shifting allegiance to the BJP in 2014. The BJP initiated several steps for the welfare of the community and also doled out money to keep them in good humour but failed to give them a daily wage of Rs 350 despite a commitment. Raising it from the existing Rs 167 to Rs 365 was one of the five “guarantees” announced by the Congress.

    If the first phase polls were more about the fate of the ruling coalition, particularly BJP and AGP, the stakes were high for the Congress-AIUDF combine in the next two phases across constituencies in the Barak Valley and Central and Lower Assam.

    Bengali Muslims, considered the vote banks of Congress and AIUDF, are in a large majority in a number of the seats. The two parties had come together to thwart the split of anti-BJP votes. In the last elections, their combined vote share was more than that of the winning candidates from the BJP coalition in 14 seats.

    Thirty-nine constituencies went to the second phase polls on April 1. Fifteen of them were in the Bengali-majority Barak Valley where Hindus and Muslims constitute a nearly equal percentage of populations. The BJP had won eight seats, AIUDF four and Congress three in 2016. This time, however, the Congress-AIUDF combine was expected to fare better, thanks to their alliance.

    The Opposition alliance also had an edge over the ruling alliance in the final phase polls held in 40 constituencies of Lower Assam on April 6. In 2016, BJP and Congress had won 11 seats each, AIUDF six, BPF eight and AGP four.

    One factor that could possibly harm the BJP was its decision to sever ties with the BPF and align with the UPPL in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). The BPF had won all 12 seats in the BTR in 2016.

    The BJP will also suffer somewhat due to the birth of two regional entities – Asom Jatiya Parishad and Raijor Dal. The perception was that the two new entrants would cause the split of AGP votes, for the options for people believing in regionalism, had widened. A loss for the AGP is a loss for the BJP.

    Meanwhile, both alliances have trashed the exit-poll predictions. According to the BJP’s assessment, the party will bag 70 seats, AGP eight and UPPL five. However, questioning the scientific basis and sample size of exit polls and alleging that they are manipulated, the Congress claimed the Opposition alliance would win at least 75 seats.

  • 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.

  • Assam polls: Congress mulling to move candidates on ‘fears of poaching’

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: Apprehending poaching by the BJP, the Congress is trying to keep its Assam flocks together ahead of the declaration of Assembly election results on May 2.

    The Congress leaders held a closed-door meeting with party candidates at a hotel on the outskirts of Guwahati on Saturday, so what transpired there was not known.

    The party said one must not read too much into it as only “general discussions” were held on the preparation for the counting day. The meeting comes amidst reports that the Congress has plans to shift the candidates to some hotels in Guwahati, Tezpur, and Kaziranga on April 22 and keep them out of bounds from poachers.

    The three-phase polls, held in March and April, were keenly contested between the BJP-led ruling coalition, which also has Asom Gana Parishad and United People’s Party Liberal, and the Congress-led 10-party grand alliance of Opposition.

    The Congress tried to put up a brave face by exuding confidence that it will get the majority and as such, had no fears about horse-trading.

    ALSO READ | Online census to distinguish Assamese Muslims from migrant Muslims launched 

    “The Mahajot (grand alliance) will get a big majority and its candidates are not going anywhere,” AICC general secretary and in-charge of Assam, Jitendra Singh told journalists ahead of the meeting.

    Given some past incidents, the Congress leadership gave certain directions to party candidates on the preparation for the counting day.

    “We have no trust in the Election Commission. We all know that 171 votes were cast in a booth that had 90 eligible voters. Also, a polled EVM was retrieved from the car of a BJP candidate (who is also an MLA),” Singh said.

    The candidates of Congress ally All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) had returned to the state on Friday night from Rajasthan as the COVID cases were increasing exponentially there.

    Singh said, “They had gone to Rajasthan after a hectic schedule of the election campaign and returned to Assam after offering their prayers at the Ajmer Sharif”.

    An AIUDF candidate said they had a discussion with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot during their stay in that state.

    Earlier, another AIUDF candidate, Aminul Islam had expressed apprehension that the BJP might try to cobble up numbers by indulging in horse-trading after the declaration of election results. He had pointed out the party had adopted this tactic in several states, including Meghalaya, Manipur, and Goa.

  • Assam polls: Now, Bodoland People’s Front shifts its candidates abroad

    Express News Service
    GUWAHATI: Apprehending attempts of poaching by the ruling BJP, the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) has shifted 10 of its 11 candidates of the recently-concluded Assam elections overseas.

    This comes two days after the ten-party grand alliance of Opposition had flown out 20 candidates – 18 from the All India United Democratic Front and two from the Congress – to Rajasthan.

    The only BPF candidate to remain in Assam is Minister Pramila Rani Brahma. She confirmed the development surrounding her party, which is a component of the Opposition alliance.

    “Yes, they left yesterday (Saturday) but I have no idea which country exactly they are visiting. I could not contact them,” Brahma told this newspaper on Sunday.

    Sources said the BPF candidates had left for Singapore. Sixteen Members of Council Legislative Assembly (MCLA) of the autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council, which administers four districts, accompanied them.

    Asked if the candidates were moved out of the country to thwart attempts of poaching by the BJP, Brahma said, “We cannot rule out the possibility of horse-trading”.

    She added that the MCLAs had plans to go on a foreign trip after the month-long hectic election campaign.

    Sources in the Congress said the party would also shift its candidates outside the state.

    “We have to be cautious. We are trying to protect our candidates from the BJP’s anti-democratic activities,” Congress MLA and leader of the Opposition, Debabrata Saikia told journalists.

    Amidst the efforts by the Opposition parties to protect their candidates against possible poaching, BJP MLA Shiladitya Deb said horse-trading does also take place online these days.

    “If someone is not happy over the selection of party candidates, he will run away even if confined to his home,” Deb, who was denied a ticket, said even as he asserted the BJP does not buy or sell MLAs.

    “A BPF candidate had run away by opting out of the poll race. Who will you blame? The leaders of the Congress and the AIUDF are worried as they fear their MLAs might leave their parties for the lust of power,” Deb added. 

  • 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.