Assam prepares for 1st phase of LS polls: 86 lakh voters to be expected from 5 districts

Assam is gearing up for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, featuring direct and triangular contests in five key constituencies. This phase will determine the fate of 35 candidates, including Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

Voting will take place from 7 am to 5 pm in Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Kaziranga, Sonitpur, and Lakhimpur. The electorate comprises 86,47,869 voters, with women outnumbering men, totaling 43,64,859, along with 123 third gender voters. A total of 10,001 polling booths will facilitate the voting process, with tight security arrangements in place, including 60 companies of security forces deployed across the constituencies.

In this phase, the BJP contests all five seats, the Congress in four, and supports an Assam Jatiya Parishad contestant in one. Additionally, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), All India Trinamool Congress, and CPI(M) are contesting in two, one, and one seat, respectively.

Key battles are expected between the BJP and Congress in Jorhat, Kaziranga, and Lakhimpur. However, in Dibrugarh and Sonitpur, a triangular fight looms among the ruling party, Congress, Assam Jatiya Parishad, and AAP.

The prestigious Dibrugarh seat witnesses a faceoff between Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, AJP's Lurinjyoti Gogoi, and AAP's Manoj Dhanowar. Jorhat sees Deputy Leader of Opposition Gaurav Gogoi challenging BJP's Topon Gogoi.

Kaziranga features a direct contest between BJP's Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and former Congress MLA Roselina Tirkey. Sonitpur and Lakhimpur also brace for intense contests among multiple candidates.

Chief Electoral Officer Anurag Goel assured comprehensive arrangements for free, fair, and peaceful elections. Enhanced facilities, including live monitoring, webcasting, and model polling stations, aim to ensure a smooth voting experience for all citizens.