Assam BJP welcomes poll dates, Congress says first phase close to Bihu festival

The ruling BJP of Assam has welcomed the three-phased polls for the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state but the opposition Congress said that the first phase on April 19 was too close to the state’s most important festival of Rongali Bihu. 

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that this time Assam will go out to ensure ”Abki Baar400Paar”, referring to the BJP-led NDA’s all-India target of winning at least 400 seats.

”Peace and progress have taken firm roots in the state & #VikisitAssam is a guarantee during #PhirEkBaarModiSarkar”, Sarma posted on X along with the schedule of the polls in the state.

He further said, ”Since 2014, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji has delivered for Assam what was once deemed impossible”.

Tourism Minister Jayanta Malla Barua told reporters that the timetable announced by the Election Commission was ”good for us as it has been scheduled after the Rongali Bihu festival”.

Also Read: Assam: Lok Sabha Elections to be held in 3 phases; dates set for April 19, April 26 and May 7

”The EC has kept in mind that the festival is held from April 13 to 15. The first phase of polling will be on April 19 when the festive fervour will come down,” he said.

There will be enough time for campaigning for the second and third phases after the festival, he added.

Congress leader Debabrata Saikia, however, said that the first phase of polling is too close to the festival which is very important for the people of the state.

"This will most likely result in less voting and perhaps the government wants just that”, the leader of the opposition in the assembly said.

In the first phase on April 19, five constituencies- Kaziranga, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur will go to the polls.

In the second phase on April 26, too, polling will be held in five constituencies- Darrang-Udalguri, Diphu (ST), Karimganj, Silchar (SC) and Nagaon will In the third and final phase on May 7, polling will be held in Kokrajhar (ST), Dhubri, Barpeta and Guwahati constituencies.

Votes will be counted on June 4.

In the outgoing Lok Sabha, the BJP has nine seats, Congress three and AIUDF one, while there is one independent legislator from Assam.