Campaigning ends for 3rd phase of LS poll in 4 seats in Assam

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 5, 2024

Campaigning for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in four constituencies ended on Sunday evening.

81 lakh voters will decide the fate of 47 candidates in four constituencies- Guwahati, Dhubri, Barpeta and Kokrajhar on May 7.

Of 47 candidates, there is one sitting MP and four MLAs. 14 are contesting from Barpeta, 13 from Dhubri, 12 candidates in Kokrajhar and 8 candidates are contesting in Guwahati.

NDA candidate Bijuli Kalita Medi is contesting from the Guwahati seat against Congress candidate Mira Borthalkur Goswami.

Sitting MP and AIUDF supremo Maulana Badaruddin Ajmal is seeking reelection from Dhubri against Congress candidate and former minister Rakibul Hussain and AGP candidate Zabed Islam.

Eight-time MLA and former minister Phani Bhushan Choudhury is contesting as NDA candidate from Barpeta against CPI-M candidate Manoranjan Talukdar and Congress candidate Deep BayanUPPL candidate and sitting MLS Jayants Basumatary is contesting from Kokrajhar against BPF candidate Kampa Borgoyari and Congress candidate Garjan Mashahary.

In the last-minute campaign, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma flagged off a bike rally from Veterinary College Playground at Khanapara in the city in which more than 3,000 bikers took part.

The bike rally which was organized by Assam unit of BJYM culminated at Latasil playground.

Sarma said, “This election is more significant than the others. Compared to the previous elections, the people have come out directly in favour of the BJP in all areas and given a huge response.”

“The enthusiasm of the youth is unprecedented while the women of the state have extended 100 per cent support,” Sarma also said. 

“Earlier, people were scared to participate in the elections, but this time people of all walks of life have come out to celebrate the elections and elect Narendra Modi as Prime Minister for the third time,” he added. 

The rally was attended by BJP state general secretary Pallavi Lochan Das, Rajya Sabha MP Pabithra Margherita and BJYM state general secretaries Tapas Kalita and Tridivjyoti Maran.

The Congress candidate for Guwahati Mira Borthaklur Goswami led a roadshow from Rajiv Bhawan to Manabendra Sarma complex, in which more than 12,000 people took part.

Goswami said, “I appeal to the people for a conscience vote in this election on May 7. I urge the people to support Congress party and assert this election to save democracy and the Constitution, which the BJP is trying to destroy by the polarization of voters.”

“If I am elected, I will voice for the people’s issues on the floor of the parliament,” Goswami said.

Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah, Congress national general secretary Jitendra Singh, senior Congress leader and former minister Hemprobha Saikia, Congress Prithvi Raj Sathe, opposition leader Debabrata Saikia, Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan. PLP president Charan Deka, Shiv Sena chief Ram Narayan Singh, Guwahati city Congress president Naba Kumar Talukdar, Assam jatiya parishad (AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi, Raijor Dal general secretary Russel Hussain, 

On his last day of the campaign, Raijor Dal president and United Opposition Forum chief spokesperson Akhil Gogoi addressed several election meetings in South Salmala-Mankachar district under Dhubri constituency.

At Kharuabandha Janta High School playground of Mankachar assembly constituency, more than 20,000 people took oath to vote for the Congress candidate Rakibul Hussain. 

They took a pledge that they would not vote for either communal AIUDF or BJP in the election.

“Thousands of people at Dhubri LS have pledged that they wouldn’t vote for either of the communal AIUDF and BJP. They would vote for saving the Constitution. They would vote for ensuring the victory of the United Opposition Forum,” Gogoi said in a post on X.

Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), an ally of NDA, also took out a bike rally from Dispur to Ambary in support of the NDA candidate from Guwahati Bijuli Kalita Medhi on Sunday. 

More than 5,000 people took part in the bike rally, which was led by its president Atul Bora and working president Keshab Mahanta.

Later Atul Bora told reporters, “”BJP allies will show a good performance in the election. We will win Barpeta by a large margin of votes.”

Bora appealed to the people to vote for an NDA candidate to make Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for the overall development of the state.

In Kokrajhar, UPPL general secretary Raju Narzari told reporters that they are confident of victory in the election. The people will vote for peace and development in BTR, he added.