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The counting of votes for the crucial Assembly Elections in four states and a Union Territory will begin at 8 am and will be over by 3 pm, according to the Election Commission. In a high turnout two-phased poll exercise, Assam had voted on 4 and 11 April to elect members to the 126-seat Assembly. The state recorded an impressive voter turnout of 82.21 percent after the second phase of voting. The counting would be conducted across 51 centres in 143 rooms on 1,171 tables determining the political future of 1,064 candidates. [caption id=“attachment_2788136” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Representational image. AFP[/caption] Congress, which under Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is seeking a fourth straight term in power, has fielded 122 candidates, BJP 89, its allies AGP 30 and BPF 13, AIUDF 74, CPM 19 and CPI 15. The CPI (ML) fought in seven seats, SUCI in 24 and independents contested in 497 seats. Others accounted for 174 candidates. The Congress had left four seats for its ally UPP. Three exit polls have stated that BJP will win in Assam and end Gogoi’s 15-year chief ministership. Axis-India Today predicted BJP will win 79-93 seats, ABP-Nielsen gave BJP 81 seats and NewsX-Chanakya gave BJP 90 seats. According to TimesNow C-Voter exit poll, the BJP and allies would get 57 seats, the Congress 41, AIUDF 18 and others 10. However, Gogoi was confident of a victory. “I don’t see why there will be anti-incumbency. I trust the people of Assam, they know how much development has happened under us,” Gogoi had told ANI. Earlier, when asked if his former ministerial colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma’s turning to the BJP had cost the Congress dearly, Gogoi had said, “The poll result will speak for itself.” He had said that the Congress had lost the 2014 Lok Sabha election even as Sarma was one of the main campaigners for the party. “We’ll do much better compared to the Lok Sabha elections this time. His leaving has not affected the party at all,” Gogoi had said. The incumbent chief minister had also alleged that the BJP-led Central government was giving “step-motherly” treatment to the border state and had withdrawn the “Special Category status” given to Assam under which the state would get 90 percent grant from the Central government for its budget. In 2011, Gogoi had returned to power for the third time in Assam as the Congress won 78 seats in the 126-seat Assembly. While some of the surveys had been accurate in predicting a Congress victory, some wrongly predicted a hung Assembly after the last Assembly polls. The CNN-IBN survey had said that Gogoi was going to return as CM with a tally of 64 to 72 seats. However, the Mail Today-India Today-Headlines Today-Aaj Tak-ORG opinion poll had predicted a hung Assembly in Assam, with Congress winning just 46 seats. Now, a victory in Assam would testify to the continuing appeal of the ruling BJP, while defeat elsewhere would reflect Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s difficulties in making inroads against the Congress stronghold. In his campaign rallies, Modi had vowed to plug the international boundary with Bangladesh to stop illegal influx from the neighbouring country as it has become a rising discontent among the indigenous people. The results should be a snapshot of Modi’s performance as he approaches the half-way mark of his five-year tenure.
As it happened: BJP's historic victory in Assam ends Tarun Gogoi's 15-year rule
The counting of votes for the Assam polls will begin soon. Three exit polls have stated that BJP will win in Assam and end Tarun Gogoi’s chief ministership.
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BJP won in Assam because Congress contested alone: Nitish Kumar
“There is not much reason to celebrate for BJP. They (BJP) won (in Assam) because Congress decided to contest alone,” ANI quoted Bihar CM Nitish Kumar as saying.
BJP leaders in Patna celebrate over Assam victory
The results in Assam so far
Victory in Assam is a very important one: Amit Shah
“Assam’s victory is important in many ways, given that it is a border state. Government is committed to the development of the state,” ANI quoted Amit Shah as saying.
“Every ally is important and has contaributed to the victory but the BJP alone has also performed very well,” he added.
Badruddin Ajmal defeated by Wajed Ali Choudhury
AIUDF Chief and Dhubri Lok Sabha MP Badruddin Ajmal loses to Congress candidate Wajed Ali Choudhury by 16723 votes in South Salmara.
PTI
Congress loses in Moran, Bokajan, Bilasipara East and Tingkhong
Moran: Former Union Minister Paban Singh Ghatowar of Congress defeated by BJP’s Chakradhar Gogoi.
Bokajan: BJP’s Numal Momin wins over Congress rival Klengdoon Engti by 4,744 votes.
Boko SC: Nandita Das of Congress defeated Jyoti Prasad Das AGP by 17,600 votes.
Bilasipara East: Ashok Kumar Singhi of BJP defeated Amrit Badshah (Congress) by 5,096 votes.
Tingkhong: Sitting Congress MLA Atuwa Munda lost to Bimal Borah (BJP) by 18,338 votes.
PTI
With Congress accepting defeat in Assam, the local office Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati wears a deserted look.
PTI
People have shown faith in PM Modi: Piyush Goyal
Terming the mandate in Assam a result of people’s faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is emerging as an alternative in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
“People have shown faith in the central government under PM Modi. The northeast which was not developed for last 70 years is now being developed. He has won the hearts of the people by developing the country,” Goyal told reporters in New Delhi.
He said it is because of corruption by the Congress that it lost in Assam.
IANS
Congress wins Nazira, loses in Katlichera and Dergaon
Nazira: Sitting Congress MLA Debabrata Saikia retains the seat by defeating BJP’s Prahlad Goala by 14,855 votes.
Katlichera: AIUDF’s Suzam Uddin Laskar defeated six-time Congress MLA and minister Gautam Roy by 15,084 votes.
Dergaon: Sitting Congress MLA Aroti Hazarika Kachari loses to Bhabendra Nath Bharali of Asom Gana Parishad by 16,227 votes.
PTI
And the congratulations are still pouring in…
Here’s how the parties are placed as of 2 pm.
BJP:: Seats won: 4; Seats leading: 55
AGP:: Seats won: 3; Seats leading: 11
BPF:: Seats won: 0; Seats leading: 12
CONG:: Seats won: 1; Seats leading: 25
AIUDF:: Seats won: 2; Seats leading: 10
PTI
BJP workers dance as they celebrate their win in the Assembly elections at Hengrabari in Guwahati.
PTI
Poll counting officers and political party agents with observers of election commission busy in the poll counting process at Indira Gandhi Indore Stadium in Guwahati.
PTI
Sonowal to meet party leadership
BJP’s chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal leaves Majuli for Guwahati in a chopper, likely to meet BJP’s state party leadership to chalk out next plan of action
Bongaigaon: Phani Bhusan Choudhury of AGP elected for seventh term by defeating Congress’ Shankar Prasad Ray by 31,320 votes.
Dhakuakhana: Naba Kumar Doley of BJP wins by 24,542 votes over Congress’ Bharat Chandra Narah.
PTI
Bokakhat: AGP President Atul Bora defeats sitting Congress MLA Arun Phukan by 40,193 votes.
PTI
Tarun Gogoi: We accept defeat, no chance of alliance with AIUDF
Tarun Gogoi said at a press conference that the party accepts defeat but will play the role of a constructive Opposition. “With all humbleness we accept the defeat in Assam. People are expecting they will deliver better than us, that’s why they have voted for them. Let them deliver on their promises. We will play a constructive and effective opposition,” he said.
“Wins and defeats are part of political system. This is part of a democratic system. We aren’t disheartened,” he said.
Gogoi reiterated that the will not form an alliance with Badruddin Ajmal’s All India United Democratic Front.
“I would be 100 percent in active politics. There is no question of any alliance with Ajmal,” he said.
Though his party lost in the state, Gogoi won the Titabor constituency, defeating BJP’s Kamakhya Prasad Tasa.
Congress ‘humbly’ accepts defeat
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said of the five Assembly elections, “We humbly accept the verdict. We congratulate the winning parties.”
“We will continue to serve people and we hope that the new governments in these states focus on development,” Surjewala told reporters in New Delhi.
Party leader Mukul Wasnik, meanwhile, said the results were expected.
“We had expected these results. We will analyse the reasons for our defeat under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi,” he said.
IANS
Congress loses seats, but wins votes
Here’s an interesting static. Congress may have lost power in Assam but it has received 31.1 percent of the votes counted so far. On the other hand, the BJP has received only 29.7 percent, according to the Election Commission.
AIUDF wins Bilasipara West, Congress loses Thowra
Bilasipara West: Hafiz Bashir Ahmed of AIUDF defeats Independent candidate Ali Akbar Miah by 11,202 votes.
Thowra: Kushal Dowari of BJP defeats Sushanta Borgohain of Congress by 1,226 votes.
PTI
Congress’ loss not surprising: Jairam Ramesh
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the outcome in Assam was not surprising.
“We are not entirely surprised by what happened in Assam and Kerala. We had tremendous anti-incumbency in Assam. We have been in power there for 15 years. And in Kerala after every five years, the results are new. I don’t think these results are a set back for Congress,” said Ramesh.
PTI
BJP-led NDA ahead in 83 of the 126 seats in Assam
NDA continued to march ahead in Assam, leading in 83 of the total 126 Assembly seats, where counting is underway.
While BJP is leading in 55, its ally AGP is ahead in 15 and Bodoland Peoples Party in 12. Congress, which was seeking to be returned for the fourth straight term, is leading in 27.
BJP chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal and outgoing chief minister Tarun Gogoi are both leading in Majuli and Titabor Assembly constituencies respectively.
AIUDF leader Badruddin Ajmal is trailing in his South Salmara seat. Independents are ahead in six and CPM in one seat.
Congress dissident leader Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had joined BJP is leading in Jalukbari.
But another prominent BJP candidate Pawan Singh Ghatowar, a former union minister, is trailing in Moran.
AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, former two-time chief minister, is leading in Baharampur while his party’s working president Atul Bora is ahead at Bokakhat.
Congress candidate and minister of the outgoing cabinet Rakibul Hussain is trailing at Samaguri as is also Ajanta Neog, also a minister, at Golaghat.
Speaker of the outgoing Assembly Pranab Gogoi is leading in Sibsagar.
PTI
Losses not Rahul’s fault, says Congress
Congress rejects suggestions that Rahul Gandhi should accept blame for party’s debacle in five states: party’s chief spokesperson.
PTI
M Venkaiah Naidu thanks the people of Assam for BJP’s victory
Rajnath Singh congratulates Sarbananda Sonowal
Poll trends: BJP leads over rivals at Jalukbari, Moran, Gauhati (East), Dispur and Dibrugarh
Jalukbari: BJP’s Himanta Biswa Sarma leading over his nearest Congress rival Niren Deka by 83,368 votes.
Moran: Former Union Minister Paban Singh Ghatowar trailing behind BJP’s Chakradhar Gogoi by 7,121 votes.
Samaguri: Minister and sitting Congress MLA Rakibul Hussain leading over BJP’s Jitu Goswami by 3,932 votes.
Katlicherra: Minister and sitting Congress MLA Gautam Roy trailing behind nearest AIUDF candidate Suzamudding Laskar by 12,010 votes.
Karimganj (South): Minister and sitting Congress MLA Siddeque Ahmed trailing AIUDF’s Aziz Ahmed Khan by 356
votes.
Gauhati (East): BJP’s Siddhartha Bhattacharya leading over Congress candidate Bobbeeta Sharma by 25,222 votes.
Dispur: Former minister and BJP candidate Atul Bora leading over sitting Congress MLA and former minister Akon Bora by 49,801 votes.
Dibrugarh: Sitting BJP MLA Prasanta Phukan leading over Congress rival Chandra Kanta Barua by 11,427 votes.
PTI
Tarun Gogoi wins Titabor
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi wins Titabor seat for the fourth time by defeating sitting MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa of the BJP. Although the final numbers are not out yet, it has been said that the margin was not much between the two keeping in mind Gogoi’s stature.
Poll trends
Baharampur: Two-time former chief minister and sitting MLA Prafulla Kumar Mahanta is leading over his Congress rival Suresh Bora by 3,130 votes
Bokakhat: AGP working president Atul Bora is ahead of Congress’ Arun Phukan by 29,383 votes
Gauhati West: Former AGP minister Ramendra Narayan Kalita is leading over his Congress rival Jury Sarma Bordoloi by 18,692 votes
Kaliabor: Sitting MLA Keshab Mahanta is leading over Bindu Ganju of Congress by 17,545 votes
Lakhimpur: Sitting MLA Utpal Dutta is leading over Joy Prakash Das of Congress by 2,481 votes
Amguri: Former minister Prodip Hazarika is leading over Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Anjan Dutta’s daughter Angkita Dutta by 3,535 votes.
PTI
Who is Sarbananda Sonowal?
From student politics to joining AGP, then switching to the saffron party and becoming a Union Minister, BJP’s Chief Ministerial candidate in Assam Sarbanada Sonowal’s journey to the peak has been a steady climb marked by twists and turns.
Fifty-four-year-old Sonowal’s name as the party’s face came as no surprise as he came with a clean image and no baggage and enjoyed the confidence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He was included in the Union Cabinet though it left many senior party members from the state none too happy considering that he had joined the BJP only in 2011.
The state unit, however, put up a united front in the elections under Sonowal, who also took charge as the party chief before the polls, to script history as the first state in the North East where the BJP has come to power.
Read more about Sonowal here.PTI
Himanta takes on Tarun Gogoi
Had Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi not brought his son Gaurav to politics, his condition would not have been what it is today: BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma and winner from Jalukbari constituency to DY365.
BJP leading in over 80 seats, according to most TV news channels
Here are the latest trends in the media:
Times Now — BJP+: 81, Congress+: 25, AIUDF+: 13, Others: 7
NDTV — BJP+: 77, Congress+: 29, AIUDF+: 12, Others: 8
India Today TV — BJP+: 83, Congress+: 24, AIUDF+: 12, Others: 7
CNN-News18 — BJP+: 85, Congress+: 25, AIUDF+: 10, Others: 6
Sarbananda Sonowal wins from Majuli
According to North East Blog, BJP’s CM candidate for Assam Sarbananda Sonowal has won from Majuli.
Big Congress leaders continue to bite the dust
Former minister and Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi lost his Margherita constituency to Bhaskar Sharma of the BJP. In another downfall, Atul Bora of the BJP defeated Congress heavyweight Akon Bora in the state’s prestigious Dispur seat. Meanwhile Rituparna Baruah of the BJP pipped four-time MLA and former Speaker Prithbi Majhi of the Congress. In Dhemaji, Pradan Baruah of the BJP defeated Sumitra Doley Patir of the Congress in Dhemaji.
Assam verdict has strengthened BJP’s position: Shahnawaz Hussain
We accept the verdict of people with humility: Rahul Gandhi
Latest results
Here are the latest results, according to North East Blog:
Naba Kr Doley (BJP) wins from Dhakuakhana
Pradyut Bordoloi (Congress) loses from Margherita
Kamali Basumatri (BPF) wins from Panery
BJP+ wins five seats
Himanta Biswa Sarma wins by over 90,000 votes
According to North East Blog, Himanta Biswa Sarma, former Congress leader who left the party and now is in the BJP, won by over 90,000 votes in Assam.