Assam Assembly Elections 2021 Phase 2 Voting Live: Long queues at most polling stations at voting underway for 39 constituencies

Assam Assembly Elections 2021 Phase 2 Polling Live Updates: Voting is underway at 39 assembly constituencies in Assam for the phase-2 election. Long queues of voters waiting to cast their votes is being seen at the most polling stations. The fate of five ministers, the deputy speaker and a few significant opposition faces will be decided today. In all, 345 candidates, including 26 women, are in the fray in this phase. Total 175 candidates are fighting the phase two elections from 15 seats in the three districts of Karimganj, Hailakandi and Cachar. Algapur has the highest 19 candidates. There is a direct contest between the NDA and the Grand Alliance in 25 constituencies, while the rest are witnessing triangular fights. BJP minister Parimal Suklabaidya is in a direct contest with Congress’s Kamakhya Prasad Mala in Dholai, while Deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar of the BJP is in a straight contest with AIUDF’s Karim Uddin Barbhuiyan in Sonai. Minister Pijush Hazarika is locked in a triangular contest with Congress’s Swapan Kumar Mandal and AJP’s Bubul Das from Jagiroad (SC), and his cabinet colleague Bhabesh Kalita is in a direct fight with AJP’s Babul Saharia in the Rangiya constituency. Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary is fighting against BPF’s Karuna Kanta Swargiary in Paneri, while AIUDF’s Sirajuddin Ajmal, a former MP and MLA, is fighting the elections against AGP’s Sadikullah Bhuyan from Jamunamukh.

The elections is being held amid tight security with 310 companies of forces being deployed for the second phase. Round-the-clock patrolling is being carried out along with strict vigil in critical areas in all the constituencies spread over 13 districts in Barak Valley, the Hills districts and parts of Central and Lower Assam. A constable and a home guard have been deployed in each polling station with sector and zonal police officers to monitor the situation. A total of 73,44,631 voters will decide the fate of 345 candidates. Of them, 37,34,537 are males and 36,09,959 females, while 135 are third gender voters. Total 10,592 polling stations have been set up in 5,774 premises. There are 556 polling stations where only women officials will be deployed, while there are 117 model polling stations. The webcasting facility will be available at 5,315 polling stations. Total 42,368 polling personnel have been deployed for the second phase. Sanitisers, thermal scanners, soaps and handwashing facilities have been made available at all polling stations. The EC has appointed 26 general observers, 12 police observers, 16 expenditure observers and 807 micro-observers for the second phase polls.

Among the prominent BJP leaders who campaigned for candidates in the second phase included PM Narendra Modi, central ministers Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Narendra Tomar, Jitendra Singh, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan among others. The BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) are alliance partners. The prominent personalities to canvass for candidates of the Grand Alliance, comprising the Congress, AIUDF, the Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF), the CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML-L), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Anchalika Gana Morcha (AGM) included Rajya Sabha MPs Mallikaarjun Kharge, Dr Nasir Hussain and Dr Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. Former chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath and Maharashtra’s Ashok Chavan, AICC leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal and CPI’s Kanhaiya Kumar had also campaigned for the Grand Alliance candidates.