Bypolls for 5 assembly seats in Assam to be held today

Bypolls for five assembly constituencies in Assam will be held on Saturday.

These constituencies include Thowra, Mari, Bhabpur, Tamulpur and Gossaigaon.

In these by-elections, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded its candidates in three seats and the candidates of United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) are in the fray in the other two seats. Congress has fielded candidates on all five seats, while its former allies All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) are contesting on two and one seats respectively.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and former chief minister and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal campaigned for BJP and UPPL candidates. Senior leaders including AICC In-Charge of Assam Jitendra Singh Alwar and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Kumar Borah campaigned for their party candidates.

A total of 31 candidates are in the fray for five seats. Nearly, 7.96 lakh voters will decide the fate of candidates. Polling will be held from 7 am to 5 pm while the counting of votes will take place on November 2.

The by-polls were necessitated after MLAs in Gosaigaon and Tamulpur died due to post COVID-19 complications. Meanwhile, MLAs of Thowra, Mari and Bhabpur resigned from their seats to join the ruling BJP.

( With inputs from ANI )