Assam bypolls: Over 74 pc voter turnout reported

Assam recorded a voter turnout of 74.04 per cent in the five Assembly constituencies during the by-elections on Saturday.

According to the election commission, the Bhabanipur assembly seat recorded 78 per cent voter turnout while 67.88 per cent turnout is recorded from the Tamulpur seat.

Gossaigaon seat witnessed a voter turnout of 77.37 per cent whereas the Thowra seat reported a 77.56 per cent turnout and the Mariani seat reported 71.70 per cent turnout.

In these by-elections, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielded its candidates in three seats and the candidates of United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) were in the fray in the other two seats.

Congress had fielded candidates on all five seats, while its former allies All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) contested 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 were in the fray for five seats, with nearly 7.96 lakh voters.

Polling was held from 7 am to 5 pm on Saturday, the counting of which will take place on November 2.

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

( With inputs from ANI )