Assam Election 2021: 39 seats to vote in Phase 2 today; list of constituencies, key candidates in fray

Assam will go to polls in the second phase of Assembly polls today (Thursday, 1 April) with 345 candidates in the fray from 39 constituencies. The fate of five ministers, the deputy speaker and a few significant opposition faces will be decided in the polls. Altogether 649 nominations have been filed, out of which 30 were rejected and 33 withdrawn, the state’s Chief Electoral Officer said. The ruling BJP is contesting 34 seats, while its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People’s PartyLiberal (UPPL) are fighting in six and three seats, respectively. There are “friendly contests” between the BJP and the AGP in Patharkandi and Algapur, while the BJP is engaged in similar fights with the UPPL in Majbat and Kalaigaon. The Mahajoth or Grand Alliance’s Congress is contesting in 28 seats, the AIUDF in seven and Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) in four. The newly-formed Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) is contesting in 19 seats. There is a direct contest between the NDA and the Grand Alliance in 25 constituencies, while the rest are witnessing triangular fights. List of constituencies in phase three

The Assam Assembly polls are being held in three phases to elect a total of 126 MLAs. The first phase of elections in the state was held on 27 March and saw voting in 47 seats. There are 39 constituencies going to the polls in the second phase of the Assam Assembly Election 2021 today. Here is the full list:

1. Ratabari (SC)
2. Patherkandi
3. Karimganj North
4. Karimganj South
5. Badarpur
6. Hailakandi
7. Katlicherra
8. Algapur
9. Silchar
10. Sonai
11. Dholai (SC)
12. Udharbond
13. Lakhipur
14. Barkhola
15. Katigorah
16. Haflong (ST)
17. Bokajan (ST)
18. Howraghat (ST)
19. Diphu (ST)
20. Baithalangso (ST)
21. Kamalpur
22. Rangiya
23. Nalbari
24. Panery (ST)
25. Udalguri (ST)
26. Majbat
27. Kalaigaon
28. Sipajhar
29. Mangaldoi (SC)
30. Dalgaon
31. Jagiroad (SC)
32. Marigaon
33. Laharighat
34. Raha (SC)
35. Nowgong
36. Barhampur
37. Jamunamukh
38. Hojai
39. Lumding

Key candidates in fray Prominent candidates from the BJP include ministers Parimal Suklabaidya from the Dholai constituency, Bhabesh Kalita (Rangia), Pijush Hazarika (Jagiroad) and Deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar (Sonai). Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary is contesting from Panery on a BJP ticket. He faces Bodoland People’s Front’s Karuna Kanta Swargiary. Former Congress minister Gautam Roy is contesting on a BJP ticket from the Katigora Assembly constituency. He faces Congres’ Khalil Uddin Mazumder from the seat. Also in the fray are sitting AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal’s brother Sirajuddin Ajmal who is contesting from Jamunamukh, former Congress spokesperson Durga Das Boro, who is contesting as a candidate of the Bodoland People’s Front from Kalaigaon. Former Deputy Speaker Dilip Kumar Paul, who resigned from the BJP after he was denied a ticket, is contesting as an Independent candidate from Silchar. There are a total of 15 candidates in the fray from the seat, including Paul and BJP nominee Dipayan Chakraborty. According to a News18, a report by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR), an analysis of the affidavits of all the 345 candidates in the fray for the second phase showed that “37 (11 percent) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves and 30 (nine percent) have declared serious criminal charges.