Explore Business Standard
Assam Assembly Polls
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said Assam saw a long span of instability, but things changed in the past decade as the BJP's double-engine government made every effort to ensure peace in the state. Twelve peace agreements were signed by the government with different organisations in the northeast, Modi said while addressing the BJP's booth level workers in poll-bound Assam as part of the 'Mera Booth, Sabse Mazboot Samvaad'. The initiative aimed at giving messages directly to party activists ahead of polls. The prime minister said BJP workers must remind people how the Congress "used to make agreements only on paper to create headlines and mislead people". "We have seen the era when Assam was burning in violence. Assam saw a long span of instability, but things have changed in the past decade. But today, we can see a new confidence as the BJP's double-engine government has made every effort for peace," he said. Under the Congress, peace agreements were pushed aside and the
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday announced his party's "five guarantees" for poll-bound Assam, with a focus on women's welfare, healthcare for all, land rights and justice in the Zubeen Garg death case. He also took a swipe at the BJP-led government in the state, accusing it of indulging in rampant corruption and working "to fill the coffers" of its leaders and their families. Addressing a rally at Naoboicha in Lakhimpur district, Kharge listed the party's 'five guarantees', which include a monthly cash transfer to women, along with an additional Rs 50,000 assistance to women willing to set up or expand a business. "Our transfer will be unconditional. It will not be like what the BJP government is doing, where women are asked to be members of their party," he said. The Congress, which is looking to wrest power from the BJP, pledged Rs 25 lakh cashless health insurance for all families, permanent land pattas for 10 lakh indigenous people and Rs 1,250 per month for sen
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually interact with NDA workers of Assam and Puducherry on Monday as part of the 'Mera Booth, Sabse Mazboot Samvaad' initiative aiming to give messages directly to them ahead of assembly elections there. Modi said people of Assam and Puducherry are going to bless the NDA governments again in the state and the Union Territory (UT) respectively. Assembly elections in Assam and Puducherry will be held on April 9. "Assam's progress in the last decade is for everyone to see. The state is known for its developmental strides across sectors. "That is why, Assam is clear -- it's NDA all the way. People are all set for five more years of the double-engine NDA government," Modi said. The prime minister said he will be taking part in 'Mera Booth, Sabse Mazboot Samvaad - Assam' in the afternoon on March 30. About Puducherry, Modi said over the last five years, the double-engine NDA government in the UT has fulfilled the aspirations of the people there. "
Seeking to strengthen electoral preparedness, the Election Commission on Tuesday convened an inter-state border meeting with top administration and police officials of five poll-going and their neighbouring states. The poll authority also met with Multi-Departmental Committee on Election Intelligence (MDCEI), to enhance coordination, curb illegal activities, and ensure smooth, secure, violence-free and inducement-free elections across poll-bound states. The Election Commission had recently reactivated its economic intelligence panel after a gap of six years to curb the use of money, liquor and drugs to influence voters ahead of the Bihar polls. West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry will go for assembly polls next month. West Bengal and Assam also share international borders with Bangladesh.
The Assam government declared a public holiday on April 9 as assembly polls are scheduled on that day, according to notifications. The public holiday has been declared under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, according to a notification issued by the General Administration Department's Commissioner and Secretary, MS Manivann. All government and non-government offices, urban local bodies, educational institutions, business and commercial establishments, including banks, will remain closed on that day, according to the notification. Another notification issued by the Labour Welfare Department said April 9 will be a paid holiday in all factories, tea plantations, shops and public entertainment or amusement establishments. Polling for the 126-member assembly will be held on that day, with the counting of votes scheduled on May 4.
The Congress on Sunday announced its fifth and final list of seven candidates for the Assam Assembly elections. With this, the party has declared candidates for 101 of the 126 seats in the state Assembly. "The Central Election Committee (CEC) of Congress has selected the Congress candidates for the ensuing elections to the Assam Legislative Assembly," an official statement from AICC general secretary, Organisation, K C Venugopal said. Among the candidates declared in the final list are Joseph Hasda from the Gossaigaon seat, Birkhang Boro from Dotma-ST, Rajat Kanti Saha from the Bijni and Anchula Gwara Daimary from the Bhergaon seat. The party also declared Narayan Adhikari as its candidate from the Mazbat, Nirmal Langthasa from Haflong-ST and Amar Chand Jain from the Katigorah assembly constituency. The Congress on Friday released its fourth list of seven candidates, dropping a sitting MLA while leaving 11 seats for its alliance partner, Raijor Dal. The party, which is contesting
The BJP on Saturday announced the names of two more candidates for the April 9 Assembly elections in Assam, fielding Krishna Saha from Dalgaon and Jiban Gogoi from Sissibargaon, party sources said. On Thursday, the BJP released its first list of 88 candidates for Assam, fielding Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from Jalukbari, and sitting BJP MP Hitendra Nath Goswami against state Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi from Jorhat. The Cabinet ministers who have been renominated from their seats include Ajanta Neog from Golaghat, Ranoj Pegu from Dhemaji (ST), Rupesh Gowala from Doomdooma, Binal Borah from Tingkhon, Pijush Hazarika from Jagiroad (SC), Jayanta Malla Baruah from Nalbari, Ashok Singhal from Dhekiajuli, Krishendu Paul from Patharkandi and Kaushik Rai from Lakhipur. Congress leaders Pradyut Bordoloi and Bhupen Borah, who recently joined the BJP, will contest from Dispur and Bihpuria, respectively. Among the other recent entrants from the Congress, Sashi Kanta Das has been fielded
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma led a procession here before filing his nomination papers for the Jalukbari assembly constituency on Friday. The procession began from the Veterinary Field in Khanapara area heading to the Kamrup (Metropolitan) District Election office, around 5.6 kms away, with Himanta atop a vehicle, flanked by his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, son Nandil Biswa Sarma and the BJP's Gauhati Lok Sabha MP Bijuli Kalita Medhi. Prior to setting out to file the papers, the chief minister sought the blessings of his mother Mrinalini Devi. ''Auspicious occasions should always begin with mother's blessings. Though I don't get to spend much time with her these days, her blessings always power me to continue serving Aai Asomi (mother Assam),'' Sarma said in a post on X. Despite heavy overnight and early morning rains, a huge crowd of people, mostly from his constituency, had gathered at the field since early morning. In another post earlier in the day, he said, ''Invitin
The BJP on Thursday released its first list of 88 candidates for the Assam assembly polls, including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from Jalukbari seat. The party named former Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi as its candidate from Dispur assembly seat. Bordoloi joined the BJP in the presence of Sarma and other party leaders here on Wednesday. According to the list, Bhupen Kumar Borah, who also joined the BJP recently after leaving the Congress, will contest from Bihpura seat. Madhavi Das will enter the fray from Birsing-Jarua, Jyotsana Kalita from Chamaria and Nilima Devi from Mangaldai. The first list of candidates was finalised by the BJP's Central Election Committee at its meeting presided over by party president Nitin Nabin here on Wednesday evening. The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other members of the BJP poll body. BJP Assam unit chief Dilip Saikia was also present at the meeting.
After Assam MP Pradyut Bordoloi joined the BJP, his son Prateek announced that he won't contest on a Congress ticket from Margherita in the upcoming assembly polls. In a letter to Congress president and chairman of the Central Election Committee Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday, Prateek said he would continue to remain a party member. Following his father's decision to join another party, it would not be appropriate for him to continue as a Congress candidate from Margherita, Prateek said in the letter, which was shared with reporters on Thursday. "With utmost respect and a deep sense of responsibility towards the party, I wish to convey my decision to withdraw my candidacy from the Margherita Assembly Constituency," he said. Prateek asserted that he will continue to work for the party in whatever capacity the leadership deems appropriate. His father, a Congressman for over five decades, had resigned from the grand old party on Tuesday and joined the BJP the next day.
In a jolt to the opposition Congress, Assam's Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi on Tuesday resigned from the party, barely 20 days ahead of assembly elections in the state. Bordoloi has sent his resignation letter to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, state media department chairman Bedabrata Bora told PTI. A former state cabinet minister and two-time MP from Nagaon constituency, Bordoloi's son is a Congress candidate from Margherita seat for the state polls due on April 9. In the one-line resignation letter addressed to Kharge, the MP said, "With an overwhelming sense of sadness today, I hereby tender my resignation from all posts, privileges and the primary membership of the Indian National Congress." A copy of the letter is available with PTI. Bora said state party chief Gaurav Gogoi and AICC general secretary in-charge of Assam Jitendra Singh are meeting with Bordoloi over the issue at the national capital.
With the Election Commission on Monday writing to the Assam chief secretary to furnish names of all IAS officers from 2010 to 2021 batches, several district election officers (DEOs) in the poll-bound state are likely to be changed. The state has 35 districts. A DEO is a senior administrative official, typically the district magistrate or collector, appointed by the Election Commission. Officials said the poll authority is not happy with the performance of various DEOs and wants to appoint new officials. Assam will face assembly polls on April 9 in a single phase. Votes will be counted on May 4.