Assam polls: Congress demands EC to probe disappearance of BPF candidate

A day after a candidate of Congress ally Bodoland People's Front (BPF) from Tamulpur constituency went untraceable amid Assam assembly elections, Congress leader Manish Tewari on Thursday demanded the Election Commission (EC) to probe the matter.

A day after a candidate of Congress ally Bodoland People's Front (BPF) from Tamulpur constituency went untraceable amid Assam assembly elections, Congress leader Msh Tewari on Thursday demanded the Election Commission (EC) to probe the matter.

He further alleged that since the BJP did not have the courage to win the elections democratically, it is using undemocratic means to do so.

Stating that the BJP and the Assam government are answerable for the BPF candidate's sudden disappearance, Tewari demanded the Election Commission (EC) to probe the matter.

Addressing a press conference here today, Tewari said, "Election is in progress they don't have the courage to defeat democratically, therefore you use every undemocratic means. Congress-led Mahajath candidate from Tamulpur constituency, Rangja Basumatary was made to disappear. It is the responsibility of the Assam government and BJP to answer where he is. Demand from EC that a probe should be done in this matter".

Basumatary had filed his nomination as a candidate of the BPF from Tamulpur, one of the seats going to the polls in the third phase of the Assam Assembly polls.

The BPF candidate was reportedly untraceable since the morning of March 31.

Later on Wednesday, Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that Basumatary had met him and expressed his desire to join the BJP.

"Official candidate of BPF and so-called Congress-led alliance from Tamulpur LAC, 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.

Assam recorded a voter turnout of nearly 75 per cent in the second phase of polling, according to the latest figures from the Election Commission.

Polling for the third and last phase will be held on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

( With inputs from ANI )