Assam: BJP’s vote share jumps to 46% from 39% in 2019, Cong limits in 36%

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 5, 2024

As counting is underway for the Lok Sabha elections, leads favoured the BJP-led NDA in Assam capturing almost 11 seats facing a tough challenge from the Congress-led 16-party United Opposition Forum.

However, the United Opposition failed to improve its tally even as it improved its share of votes in this poll.

In contrast, the BJP has improved its vote share to 46 per cent in the election from 39 per cent in the 2019 poll.

In a post on X Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said: “I bow down to the people of Assam for blessing @BJP4Assam and our valued NDA partners with a massive mandate of 11 out of 14 seats in the state. The NDA has also bettered its overall vote share to nearly 46%, a huge jump from the 39% vote share we secured in the 2019 Lok Sabha and 44% in the 2021 assembly elections.”

“This we have achieved despite the 40 per cent minority population in the state,” Sarma said.

“This translates into a lead for the NDA in more than 90 of 126 assembly segments, a much-improved outcome compared to our performance in the 2021 Assembly elections,” Sarma also said.

“Clearly, today’s results are a vote for the overall transformation Assam has been experiencing in the last 3 years. With the blessings of Adarniya Shri @narendramodi, Hon’ble Prime Minister, we remain committed to delivering on our promise to establish Assam among the top states in the country,” he added.

The United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA) has failed to improve its tally as it limited itself to only three seats- Jorhat, Nagaon and Dhubri.

However, the Opposition could improve its vote share to 37.17 per cent.

In 2019 LS polls, the vote share of the party was 35.79 per cent against BJP’s 36.41 per cent.

As for the Congress, Rakibul Hussain competing from Dhubri has extended his lead by over 4 lakh, whilst Gaurav Gogoi and Pradyut Bordoloi continue to expand their lead in Jorhant and Nagaon respectively.

AGP and UPPL continue to lead in in Barpeta and Kokrajhar respectively.

Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah claimed a “new trend” in the country.

“We could improve the vote share in this election. We are 60 per cent successful,” Borah said.

“There was an understanding between BJP and AIUDF during the last Rajya Sabha and Presidential elections. There were also horse-trading among MLAs and party leaders. Due to this a large section of minority people alienated AIUDF and voted for the congress in Nagaon, Dhubri and Karimganj,” Borah also said.

“It is not the credit of the opposition parties. The credit goes to the people who voted for a change. I told you earlier that the people of Assam are sleeping lions. The lion now awakes,” he said.

“Our candidate Gaurav Gogoi won the Jorhat seat by the highest margin of votes despite still opposition from the ruling NDA alliance. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his entire cabinet were camping in Jorhat to defeat Gaurav Gogoi in the election. It was not Topon Kumar Gogoi, but Himanta Biswa Sarma himself was the candidate of the NDA in Jorhat,” Borah further said.

“They also did everything possible to give a walk over to Badaruddin Ajmal. But Rakubul Hussain defeated him by a margin of four lakh votes. But AIUDF will be a history now,” he said.

“In Guwahati also our vote share was increased,” he added.