Assam Assembly polls: NDA headed for landslide victory in state

The alliance has won 18 of the 22 seats declared so far and is leading in 68 of the remaining 126 assembly seats

BJP-led NDA is headed for a landslide victory in Assam winning 18 of the 22 seats declared so far and leading in 68 of the remaining 126 assembly seats.

BJP alone has won 12 seats and is leading in 50 others, while its allies AGP and BPF have won three each and are leading in nine each.

Congress' dream to return to power for a record consecutive fourth term was dashed to the ground as it has won just two seats so far and is leading in another 21.

The biggest setback was suffered by AIDUF, the main opposition party in the outgoing assembly, which has so far won in two seats and is leading in 11 seats.

The worst blow to AIUDF was the defeat of its chief Badruddin Ajmal, who was being viewed as a possible king-maker in case of a hung assembly. He was defeated by Congress candidate Wajed Ali Choudhury in South Salmara seat by 16,723 votes.

Outgoing Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was comfortably placed ahead of his BJP rival Kamakhya Prasad Tassa in Titabor Assembly constituency, while BJP chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal is ahead of his Congress rival and former minister Rajib Lochan Pegu by 18,923 votes at Majuli(ST).

AGP President Atul Bora has won Bokakhat seat defeating sitting Congress MLA Arun Phukan by 40,193 votes and Congress candidate and former union minister Paban Singh Ghatowar was trounced by Chakradhar Gogoi of BJP by 4,744 votes.

Ministers for social welfare and forest of the outgoing cabinet Gautam Roy and Etuwa Munda are among those who have fallen on the wayside, while their colleagues Sarat Barkotoky, Siddeque Ahmed, Bismita Gogoi, Sumitra Patir, Chandan Sarkar, Ajit Singh, Basanta Das and Girindra Malik are trailing behind their rivals in their respective constituencies.