Guwahati: With the latest trends, it has become clear that BJP will form its first ever government in Assam.
The saffron party has wrested Congress out of power with huge margin of seats.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading in 74 seats in Assam where counting of votes for 126 seats is under way to elect the new assembly. The Congress is leading in 30 seats whereas AIUDF is ahead on 12 seats and others on 9 seats.
Congress' loss could be attributed to various factors. After three successive terms in Assam since 2001, chief minister Tarun Gogoi was confronting a strong anti-incumbency sentiment in 2016.
BJP also avoided any negative campaign that could have fired back. A positive campaign with its main focus on on development seems to have worked in BJP's favour.
Besides, BJP's move to name its candidate for the chief minister's post, Sarbananda Sonowal, well in time was another big factor that went in its favour.
BJP's chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal is leading Majuli constituency. Speaking to reporters, he expressed confidence that people will give majority to the BJP to enable it to form government.
“We are optimistic that the people of Assam will give us a chance to form the government. We will stick to Mission 84,” he said.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi this morning visited famous Kamakhya temple in Guwahati and said the Congress will emerge victorious.
Among the 1064 candidates, Congress contested in 122 constituencies, BJP in 89 and its alliance partners AGP in 30 and BPF in 13, AIUDF in 74, while the remaining are from CPI , CPM, CPI(ML)(L), unrecognised parties and Independents.
Counting began at 8 AM to decide the fate of 1064 candidates in 51 counting centres comprising 143 counting halls and 1,771 counting tables. The Election Commission of India has appointed 126 observers to oversee the counting and the entire process will be videographed.
A three-tier security ring has been deployed for the counting with the first ring of armed CRPF personnel around the counting hall, the second layer manned by armed state police and the final ring comprising the district police around the 100-metre periphery of the centre.
Polling in Assam was held in two phases on April 4 and April 11.
