Assam: Peaceful Polling Concludes for 4 LS Seats, 79.79% Voter Turnout Recorded
Assam: Peaceful Polling Concludes for 4 LS Seats, 79.79% Voter Turnout Recorded Polling was peaceful in four parliamentary seats in Assam's third and final phase of elections on Tuesday with a voter turnout of 79.79 per cent recorded, officials said. The final polling figure will be available on Wednesday, they said. Dhubri recorded the highest polling percentage at 85.43, followed by Barpeta at 79.62, Guwahati at 75.67 and Kokrajhar at 75.55. ''An estimated 79.79 per cent of the 81.49 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the four parliamentary constituencies in Assam. Polling ended at 5 pm with no untoward incident reported during the day,'' an election official said. A total of 965 Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) components -- control units, VVPATs and ballot units -- were replaced due to malfunctioning, another official said. Most of the glitches were noticed during the mock polling and subsequently, polling was held smoothly, he said. Altogether 81,49,091 voters, including 40,48,436 women and 111 belonging to the third gender, were eligible to exercise their franchise in 9,516 polling stations. Altogether 47 candidates are in the fray in the final phase of elections. The prominent candidates in the fray are AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal, seeking a fourth successive term from Dhubri, and his rival and sitting Congress MLA Rakibul Hussain. Eight-time Asom Gana Parishad MLA and former minister Phanibhushan Choudhury and his rivals sitting CPI(M) MLA Manoranjan Talukdar and Congress candidate Deep Bayan from Barpeta were contesting. Former BTC deputy leader Kampa Borgoyary of the Bodo Peoples' Front, United People's Party, Liberal (UPPL) Joyanta Basumatary and Congress candidate Garjen Mushahry are fighting in Kokrajhar. Two women contestants of Guwahati are BJPs Bijuli Kalita Medhi and Congress Mira Borthakur Goswami. Dhubri has the highest number of electors at 26,63,987, while Kokrajhar has the lowest at 14,94,404 in this phase. In the first phase of polls held on April 19, 78.25 per cent of the electors exercised their franchise to decide the fate of 35 candidates in Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur constituencies. An estimated 81.17 per cent of voters cast their votes in the second round of elections on April 26 to decide the fate of 61 candidates in Karimganj, Silchar, Diphu, Nagaon and Darrang-Udalguri. In the 2019 parliamentary polls, Assam recorded an overall voter turnout of 81.55 per cent. In the outgoing Lok Sabha, BJP held nine seats, Congress three, AIUDF and an independent one each from the state.
Student dies by suicide at NIT Silchar
Assam: NIT Silchar found hanging inside bathroom, probe begins
In a shocking incident, a student of the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Silchar, Assam, committed suicide on Monday.
Assam authorities unlawfully cleared land for Silchar Greenfield airport: SC
GUWAHATI: The Supreme Court has set aside a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order that had previously dismissed a plea against the clearing of land for a proposed Greenfield Airport at Doolo Tea Estate in Cachar district of Assam. The bench, led by chief justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, highlighted that the clearing activities were [] The post Assam authorities unlawfully cleared land for Silchar Greenfield airport: SC appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .
Supreme Court sets aside NGT order regarding clearing of land for greenfield airport in Silchar
The Supreme Court on Monday set aside a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order, which had dismissed a petition against the clearing of land for the proposed greenfield airport at Doolo Tea Estate in Assams Silchar. The order was passed by the Bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj []
Campaigning for third and final phase of polling in 4 Assam LS seats ends
GUWAHATI: Campaigning for the third and final phase of Lok Sabha polls covering four seats in Assam concluded on Sunday. Despite heavy rains dampening the last day, both ruling and opposition parties engaged in a vigorous campaign marked by bike rallies, roadshows, public rallies, and door-to-door appeals by candidates. The constituencies in the final phase are Dhubri, Barpeta, Kokrajhar (ST), and Guwahati. Voting is scheduled to take place on May 7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress president Mallikarun Kharge and AICC leader Priyanka Gandhi actively participated in rallies and roadshows across the state. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also spearheaded the campaign, emphasising the importance of the PM's return for a third successive term. Opposition parties, led by Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, Raijor Dal's Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad's Lurinjyoti Gogoi, focused on various issues such as citizenship, connectivity, infrastructure, unemployment, and price rise. The BJP campaign was focussed on highlighting the various development schemes of both the central and state governments and the achievements made by the saffron party during its ten years and eight years rule at the Centre and state, respectively. The opposition parties focused on the citizenship issue, doubtful voters, connectivity issues, poor infrastructure development, unemployment, price rise, benefits of schemes not reaching, lack of industrial development, among others. Barpeta has the highest number of candidates at 14, while Guwahati has the lowest with eight. In Guwahati, a direct contest is on the cards between BJP's Bijuli Kalita Medhi and Congress candidate Mira Borthakur Goswami, both debutants in Lok Sabha polls. In Barpeta, a triangular contest is expected between NDA partner Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) candidate Phanibhushan Choudhury, CPI(M)'s Manoranjan Talukdar, and Congress's Deep Bayan. In Dhubri, 13 candidates are in the fray with AIUDF strongman Badruddin Ajmal, seeking a fourth term, locked in a triangular contest with Congress MLA Rakibul Hussain and NDA partner AGP's Zaved Islam. In Kokrajhar (ST), a triangular contest is projected between NDA partner United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) Jayanta Basumtary, Congress Garjen Mushahary, and Bodoland People's Front's (BPF) Kampa Borgoyary. In the first phase polls held on April 19, 78.25 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise to decide the fate of 35 candidates for Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur constituencies. In the second phase held on April 26, 81.17 per cent of the electorate cast their votes to decide the fate of 61 candidates for Karimganj, Silchar(SC), Diphu (ST), Nagaon and Darrang-Udalguri. In the outgoing Lok Sabha, BJP held nine seats, Congress three, AIUDF and an independent one each from the state.
Daytime passenger trains to run on Lumding-Silchar Hill Section
HT Correspondent HAFLONG, May 4: Lumding DRM Premranjan Kumar stated on Saturday that in the wake of incessant rain in Dima Hasao disrupting train modifications have been made to the existing train schedule. While some local passenger trains under Lumding Division have been temporarily suspended, long-distance services remain uninterrupted. Out of the total 21 pairs []
Assam: Security forces seize Heroin worth Rs 4.04 crore in Cachar
SILCHAR: Troopers of Assam Rifles, in collaboration with personnel and officials of Sonai police station in Cachar district of Assam, conducted a joint operation, resulting a sizeable seizure of narcotics substances. The operation resulted in the seizure of 572 grams of heroin valued at Rs 4.04 crore and apprehension of one drug peddler. The confiscated [] The post Assam: Security forces seize Heroin worth Rs 4.04 crore in Cachar appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .
NFR cancels, reschedules trains in Lumding Badarpur Hill section
HT Bureau GUWAHATI, May 3: In view of the ongoing track repairing work at KM 110/7 between Jatinga Lampur and New Harangajao under Lumding division of the Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR), several trains have been rescheduled and cancelled. The trains that have been cancelled are the Guwahati Silchar Guwahati Express scheduled to []
Tripura Youth Congress demands job for kin of exam candidate who died in accident
Tripura Youth Congress demands job for kin of exam candidate who died in accident The Tripura Youth Congress has initiated a protest urging the provision of employment opportunities and healthcare services for the family of Dibraj Debbarma who died in a bus accident while on his way to appear for the Tripura State Cooperative Bank (TSCB) recruitment examination. Facing financial struggles compounded by health issues, the family's plight prompted the youth wing of the Congress party in Tripura to take action.The protest aims to draw attention to the challenges faced by the Debbarma family and rally support for their cause. Representatives of the Tripura Youth Congress emphasized the importance of extending support to marginalized families facing adversity. They underscored their commitment to advocating for social justice and welfare measures to uplift vulnerable sections of society. The protest underscores broader concerns about equitable access to livelihoods and healthcare services in Tripura. It calls upon the Bank authority to prioritize the welfare of the Debbarma family and take prompt action to address their grievances. Dibraj Debbarma was travelling to Guwahati, Assam where the recruitment examination was scheduled to be conducted. The accident occurred on the Badarpur-Lumding road near Halflong. According to officials, on Thursday, the bus they travelled in lost control and overturned in the mountainous region of Dima Hasao district of North Cachar Hills in Assam. All passengers who were injured in the accident were rushed to a local hospital, police officers said. A few of them are under treatment at Silchar Medical College and Hospital.Following the death of a Tripura youth in Assam while he was on his way to appear for a recruitment exam, Tipra Motha has said that the state must try to ensure that most examinations are held within Tripura. (ANI)
Assam: More than 8410 residents affected after flash floods hit Cachar
Flash floods have occurred in Ward No 14 Nagatilla and Aulia Bazar area of Silchar in Cachar district, due to heavy rainfall on May 3, 2024, as reported by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority.
2 killed in Barak Valley, vast areas of Silchar inundated
Assam: Man dies after being electrocuted in Hailakandi
Guwahati:A man in Hailakandi,Assamdied after being electrocuted while working at his house on Wednesday. A man named Zahir Uddin died from electrocution whileworking alongside his brother and suddenly came in contact with a liveelectricwire. His brother too was injured in the incident. The injured brother has been transferred to Silchar Medical College for treatment. In [] The post Assam: Man dies after being electrocuted in Hailakandi appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .
Trains cancelled, rescheduled due to track safety work
HT Bureau GUWAHATI, April 29: In view of the temporary restriction on train movement from 18:00 hours to 06:00 hours between Jatinga Lampur and New Haflong stations under Lumding division of Northeast Frontier Railway, for undertaking track safety related works, a number of trains have been cancelled, regulated and rescheduled. The Guwahati Silchar Express, []
81.17 pc voter turnout recorded in 2nd phase of polling for 5 Assam LS seats
In the second phase of polling for five Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam, the state recorded a high voter turnout of 81.17%. Nagaon had the highest turnout at 84.97%, followed by Darrang-Udalguri at 82.01%, Karimganj at 80.48%, Silchar at 79.05%, and Diphu at 75.74%. Women voters showed higher participation at 85.55% compared to men at 84.41% and the third gender at 16.47%. A total of 77.26 lakh electors were eligible to vote, with 61 candidates in the fray.
Assam: 77.35% voter turnout recorded in second phase polling in five LS seats
GUWAHATI: An estimated 77.35 per cent of 77.26 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the second phase of polling in five Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam, election officials said on Saturday. The final polling percentage could be further revised as the compilation of figures is yet to be completed, an official said. Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency recorded the highest voter turnout of 80.56 per cent, followed by 78.41 per cent in Darrang-Udalguri, 75.97 per cent in Silchar (SC), 75.63 per cent in Karimganj and 73.11 per cent in Diphu, they said. Sixty-one candidates are in the fray in this phase. Assam Transport Minister Parimal Suklabaidya is pitted against Surya Kanta Sarkar of the Congress in Silchar, while BJP's Amarsing Tisso is contesting against Congress's Joyram Engleng in Diphu. Nagaon's sitting Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi is contesting against BJP's Suresh Bora, while Karimganj's BJP MP Kripanath Malla is pitted against Congress's Hafiz Ahmed Rashid Choudhury. In Darrang-Udalguri, the main contest is between BJP MP Dilip Saikia and former Congress MP Madhab Rajbongshi. Altogether 77,26,668 voters, including 38,61,559 women and 179 persons of third gender, were eligible to exercise their franchise at 9,133 polling stations, of which 1,220 were identified as 'critical'. There were 906 urban and 8,227 rural booths, while 473 were managed by women, 12 by persons with disabilities (PwD) and there were also 90 model polling stations. More than 36,000 polling officials and around 40,000 security personnel were deployed during the second phase of polling on Friday. In the first phase polls held on April 19, 78.25 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur constituencies.
LS elections: Assam records 77.35% voter turnout in second phase of polls
Guwahati (Assam) [India], April 27 (ANI): Assam recorded 77.35 per cent voter turnout in the second phase of polls, which was held in five parliamentary constituencies in the state on April 26. According to the Election Commission, 77.35 per cent of voters in five parliamentary constituencies Silchar, Karimganj, Diphu, Nagaon and Darrang-Udalguri, came out to exercise their franchise in the second phase of polls. 80.56 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Nagaon parliamentary constituency, while 78.41 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Darrang-Udalguri, 75.97 per cent in Silchar, 75.63 per cent in Karimganj and 73.11 per cent
Impressive 77.35% Voter Turnout Marks Second Phase Polling in 5 Assam Lok Sabha Seats
Impressive 77.35% Voter Turnout Marks Second Phase Polling in 5 Assam Lok Sabha Seats An estimated 77.35 per cent of 77.26 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the second phase of polling in five Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam, election officials said on Saturday. The final polling percentage could be further revised as the compilation of figures is yet to be completed, an official said. Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency recorded the highest voter turnout of 80.56 per cent, followed by 78.41 per cent in Darrang-Udalguri, 75.97 per cent in Silchar (SC), 75.63 per cent in Karimganj and 73.11 per cent in Diphu, they said. Sixty-one candidates are in the fray in this phase. Assam Transport Minister Parimal Suklabaidya is pitted against Surya Kanta Sarkar of the Congress in Silchar, while BJP's Amarsing Tisso is contesting against Congress's Joyram Engleng in Diphu. Nagaon's sitting Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi is contesting against BJP's Suresh Bora, while Karimganj's BJP MP Kripanath Malla is pitted against Congress's Hafiz Ahmed Rashid Choudhury. In Darrang-Udalguri, the main contest is between BJP MP Dilip Saikia and former Congress MP Madhab Rajbongshi. Altogether 77,26,668 voters, including 38,61,559 women and 179 persons of third gender, were eligible to exercise their franchise at 9,133 polling stations, of which 1,220 were identified as 'critical'. There were 906 urban and 8,227 rural booths, while 473 were managed by women, 12 by persons with disabilities (PwD) and there were also 90 model polling stations. More than 36,000 polling officials and around 40,000 security personnel were deployed during the second phase of polling on Friday. In the first phase polls held on April 19, 78.25 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur constituencies.
People at 3 Silchar booths boycott polls
Lok Sabha polls: Tripura records highest turnout in Northeast in Phase 2
GUWAHATI: Tripura recorded the highest voter turnout among the three states from the Northeast which went to the polls on Friday. Polling for the Lok Sabha elections was held in Tripura East along with Assams Silchar, Karimganj, Nagaon, Diphu, Darrang-Udalguri and Manipurs Outer Manipur seats. Till 5 pm, Tripura recorded a voter turnout of 79.55%, followed by Manipur (76.06%) and Assam (70.66%). Barring Nagaon which is held by the Congress, the six other seats are with the NDA five (Tripura East, Silchar, Karimganj, Diphu and Darrang-Udalguri) with the BJP and one (Outer Manipur) with the Naga Peoples Front which is an ally of the BJP. The Outer Manipur seat went to the polls in two phases. The polls were by and large peaceful. However, there were at least four incidents in Manipurs Naga-majority Ukhrul district where people damaged electronic voting machines after armed miscreants had allegedly resorted to booth capturing to favour a particular candidate. LS polls 2024 | PHASE 2 HIGHLIGHTS: Polling ends with over 60% voter turnout Elsewhere in Assam and Tripura, voters boycotted the elections due to varied reasons. Residents of Chittaranjan Road in Silchar did not cast their votes to draw the attention of the authorities to the problem of artificial floods. Similarly, 767 voters of the Durga Nagar Tea Garden falling under this seat did not turn up as a mark of protest against the governments failure to build an all-weather road. In Sonai under Silchar, 710 voters did not go to vote as the nearest polling booth was set up five kilometres away. Over 1,000 voters from the Sadai Mohan Para area in Tripura boycotted the polls protesting the lack of basic amenities such as roads, electricity and drinking water. Assams minority-based party All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) alleged the Congress attempted to rig the polls in some polling stations falling under the Karimganj seat. Meanwhile, hundreds of stranded train passengers could not cast their votes as six trains to the Barak Valley were cancelled due to the derailment of a goods train engine. The valley has the Silchar and Karimganj seats. Voter dies in Assam A voter died outside a polling booth falling under the Karimganj seat. Refuting media reports, Hailakandi Assistant Commissioner Simanta Biswas told The New Indian Express that the deceased, Faruk Hussain Laskar (50), was not the polling agent of any political party. Laskar had collapsed soon after casting his vote and was rushed to a hospital but he was declared dead on arrival. The body was sent to the district hospital for post-mortem. 15 injured in bee attack in Tripura Some 15 voters were injured on Friday when a swarm of bees attacked them at Barabill area of Tripuras Khowai district. They were standing in a queue to cast their votes, officials said. The injured were admitted to a hospital and later, sent back to their homes following treatment.
Assam BJPs Muslim outreach, AIUDFs presence diminish Congress chances in 2 seats
Guwahati: Five Lok Sabha seats in Assam Nagaon, Karimganj, Silchar, Darrang-Udalguri and Diphu parliamentary constituencies went to the polls in the second phase of General Elections on Friday. Among them, 24, the highest number of candidates, are in the fray in Karimganj Lok Sabha seat. This constituency was de-reserved in last years delimitation exercise. Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
5 Lok Sabha seats in Assam register voter turnout of 27.43 pc till 11 am
The highest polling of 30.82 per cent was recorded in Diphu (ST), followed by 29.99 per cent in Karimganj, 28.81 per cent at Darrang-Udalguri, 25.29 per cent in Nagaon and the lowest 23.20 per cent in Silchar, they said
Lok Sabha elections: Over 9% turnout in Assam, 15% in Manipur, 16% in Tripura
Assam, Manipur, and Tripura witness significant voter turnout. Assam's polling includes Darrang-Udalguri, Diphu, Nagaon, Silchar, Karimganj constituencies. The electoral battle involves prominent candidates like Parimal Suklabaidya, Surya Kanta Sarkar, and Joyram Engleng.
Voting underway in five Lok Sabha seats in Assam
Shillong, April 26: Voting is underway for five Lok Sabha seats in Assam in the second phase of polls. Elections are taking place in Nagaon, Darrang-Udalguri, Diphu, Silchar and Karimganj parliamentary constituencies. There are 62 candidates in the fray with Assam minister Parimal Suklabaidya, and incumbent MPs from the BJP and Congress, Dilip Saikia and [] The post Voting underway in five Lok Sabha seats in Assam appeared first on The Shillong Times .
Assam: Polling for 5 Lok Sabha Seats Begins Amid Tight Security
Assam: Polling for 5 Lok Sabha Seats Begins Amid Tight Security Voting for five Lok Sabha seats in Assam to decide the fate of 61 candidates began, amid tight security on Friday morning. Polling commenced at 7 am in Karimganj, Silchar, Diphu, Nagaon and Darrang-Udalguri constituencies. Altogether 77,26,668 electors, including 38,61,559 women and 179 third gender, are likely to exercise their franchise in 9,133 polling stations in the second phase. Prominent candidates in the fray are sitting MPs Pradyut Bordoloi of Congress from Nagaon, BJP's Dilip Saikia and Kripanath Malla from Darrang-Udalguri and Karimganj respectively and Assam Minister for Excise, Transport and Fisheries Parimal Suklabaidya of BJP from Silchar, among others.
Second phase of Lok Sabha elections: Five Assam constituencies go to polls
GUWAHATI: Five key constituencies in Assam are set to go to polls in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on Friday (April 26). The five constituencies in Assam that go to polls in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on Friday (April 26) are: Nagaon, Karimganj, Silchar, Diphu and Darrang-Udalguri. As many as [] The post Second phase of Lok Sabha elections: Five Assam constituencies go to polls appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .
Manipur: Security forces intercept suspected brown sugar concealed inside pumpkins
Guwahati: Security forces including personnel from Assam Rifles (AR) have intercepted a pickup truck which was carrying brown sugar hidden inside pumpkins in Pherzawl District. The vehicle was going towards Assams Silchar town from Tipaimukh. A total of 30 soap caps filled with brown sugar were found by the security forces. The Chief Minister of [] The post Manipur: Security forces intercept suspected brown sugar concealed inside pumpkins appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .
Second Phase of Assam Lok Sabha Polls Concludes
Second Phase of Assam Lok Sabha Polls Concludes A high-pitched campaign for five parliamentary constituencies in Assam for the second phase of polls scheduled on April 26 ended on Wednesday. A total of 61 candidates are in the fray. Polling will be held for the two constituencies in Barak Valley - Silchar (SC) and Karimganj, one in the hill district - Diphu (ST) and two in the Brahmaputra Valley - Nagaon and Darrang-Udalguri. Among the national leaders, Union Home Minister Amit Shah campaigned during the second phase by holding a roadshow in Silchar (SC) for the BJP candidate and Assam Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, while Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also campaigned in the second phase for the partys Silchar (SC) candidate Radheshyam Biswas. BJP's election campaign was spearheaded by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who daily held at least four rallies in all the constituencies going to the polls while Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who contested from the Dibrugarh constituency in the first phase, campaigned for the BJP candidates in Silchar (SC) and Karimganj in Barak Valley. The opposition parties, on the other hand, mostly relied on the state leaders in their campaigns. Lok Sabha Deputy leader of the opposition Gaurav Gogoi, Raijor Dal President Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad President Lurinjyoti Gogoi campaigned for the Congress candidates in Barak Valley. The BJP campaign was focused on highlighting the various development schemes of both the central and state governments and the achievements made by the saffron party during its ten-year and eight-year rule at the centre and state, respectively. The opposition parties focussed on the citizenship issue, doubtful voters, connectivity issues, poor infrastructural development, unemployment, price rise, benefits of schemes not reaching, and lack of industrial development, among others. Karimganj constituency has the highest number of 24 candidates, with 19 independents, and Diphu (ST), with only five candidates in the fray. A triangular contest is on the cards among sitting BJP MP Kripanath Malla, Hafez Rashid Choudhury of Congress and AIUDF's Sahibul Alam Choudhury in Karimganj. In Silchar, eight candidates are in the fray, and the contest is likely to be triangular between Assam minister Parimal Suklabaidya of BJP, Surya Kanta Sarkar of Congress and Radheyshyam Biswa of Trinamool Congress. Five contestants are in the fray in Diphu (ST), and the contest is likely to be between BJP's Amarsing Tisso and Joyram Engleng of the Congress. A total of 13 candidates are in the fray in Nagaon, and the contest is set to be triangular between sitting Congress MP Prodyut Bordoloi, BJP's Suresh Bora and AIUDF's Aminul Islam. In Darrang-Udalguri, 11 candidates are contesting, with the contest likely to be directly between sitting BJP MP Dilip Saikia and Congress candidate Madhab Rajbongshi. In the first phase of LS polls held on April 19, 78.25 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise to decide the fate of 35 candidates for the Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur constituencies. In the outgoing Lok Sabha, BJP held nine seats, Congress three, while the AIUDF and an independent have one each from the state.
Assam: Despite sizeable presence of Muslim voters, BJP has an edge over Congress in second phase
Guwahati: With electioneering for the second phase of polling coming to an end on Wednesday, the focus will be on Muslim voters who have sizeable presence on at least three out of five Lok Sabha seats going to polls on Friday in Assam. If BJP is largely banking on division of Muslim votes, the Congress has been appealing to Muslim voters to go for strategic polling to defeat the saffron party. The polling will be held in the five constituencies---Karimganj, Silchar (both in southern Assams Bengali-majority Barak Valley), Nagaon, Darrang-Udalguri and Diphu. Nagaon is held by the Congress while the others are with the BJP. Except Diphu which is reserved for Scheduled Tribes, all the other four constituencies have the presence of sizeable Bengali-speaking Muslim voters. Bengali Hindus also play a significant role in deciding the fate of candidates on Silchar and Karimganj seats. While Karimganj leads with over 55.7 percent Muslim voters, Silchar has less than 40 percent, Nagaon 58 percent, and Darrang-Udalguri about 40 percent. The ensuing Lok Sabha election is also significant as after the last year delimitation several Muslim-majority Assembly segments, which were parts of erstwhile Kaliabor (now Kaziranga) parliamentary seat, were added to the Nagaon seat, thereby substantially increasing the number of its Muslim voters. In the wake of changed demography, it is believed that except Nagaon, the contest would be straight between the BJP and the Congress on most of the seats. The AIUDF has made the contest triangular in Nagaon. It is significant that the BJP had managed to win central Assams Nagaon seat four times---1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014 despite the majority of Muslim voters. The Congress succeeded in resting the seat from BJP in 2019. The AIUDF has fielded a strong candidate Aminul Islam, who is an MLA from the seat. His contest will be with sitting MP Pradyut Bordoloi of the Congress and Suresh Borah of the BJP. The BJP is having an edge on the Silchar seat but faces a tough challenge from the Congress in Karimganj. The BJP replaced Silchar MP Rajdeep Roy with a state minister Parimal Suklabaidya and re-nominated sitting MP Kripanath Malla in Karimganj. The contest in Silchar will be between Suklabaidya and the Congress Surya Kanta Sarkar. In Karimganj, the Congress Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury, who is a senior lawyer, is presenting a strong fight to the sitting BJP MP Kripanath Mallah. Earlier the BJP had an advantage in both Silchar and Karimganj seats as Hindus-Bengali are in a majority in Silchar while Muslims could not contest from Karimganj as it was reserved for Scheduled Caste (SC). After delimitation, Silchar is now an SC-reserved seat while Karimganj became a general seat. The BJP is hardly facing any contest in the Diphu seat in Karbi Anglong district. The BJP has an advantage in Diphu Lok Sabha seats; it rules the autonomous Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council. The ruling party is also confident to retain the Darrang-Udalguri seat as half of the constituency spreads inside the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). The BJP-United Peoples Party Liberal combine is in power in the Bodoland Territorial Council which administers the BTR.
Silchar Assam Lok Sabha Election 2024: Date of voting, result, candidates, main parties, schedule
Section 144 imposed in Cachar ahead of LS polls
HT Bureau SILCHAR, April 23: In anticipation of a law and order situation arising ahead of the second phase of Lok Sabha polls on April 26, the Cachar district administration has issued prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Indian penal code here on Tuesday. These restrictions have been imposed to prevent disturbance of peace, []
BJP, Congress, Trinamool In Triangular Contest Over Assam's Silchar Seat
In Assam five Lok Sabha seats will go to polls in the 2nd phase on April 26 and the most prestigious and talked about is the seat of Silchar in the Barak valley region. Known as Assam's Bengali heartland, this is a seat with sharp political legacy and religious polarisation and is perhaps the only seat outside Bengal where the BJP and the TMC are in an intense poll fight that has turned triangular with Congress still in the battle for its once-strong bastion. NDTV's Ratnadip Choudhury reports....
Amit Shah Holds Massive Roadshow In Assam's Silchar
Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a massive rally in Assam's Silchar.
CAA an overused political tool: TMC MP Sushmita Dev
Silchar: Senior Trinamool Congress leader Sushmita Dev claimed that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is an overused political tool that stands exposed for its ineffectiveness. In an interview with PTI, the Rajya Sabha MP alleged that a lot of Hindus were excited when CAA was passed in Parliament but now it has become khoda pahar Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Intensify Campaign in Assam, Sets Sights on Silchar
GUWAHATI, April 21: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is gearing up to escalate his campaign efforts in Assam on Sunday, with a pivotal roadshow planned for the evening in Silchar, a significant Lok Sabha constituency in Cachar district. During his visit, Shah will fervently advocate for Parimal Suklabaidya, the Lok Sabha candidate, with the aim []
BJP trying to destroy Constitution adopted during Congress rule: Mahima Singh
SILCHAR, April 20: Congress leader Mahima Singh on Saturday accused the BJP of attacking and trying to destroy the Constitution which was adopted after Independence during the rule of the grand old party. Addressing a press conference here, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) communications coordinator for Assam alleged that unemployment was at an all-time []
Assam CM Himanta Biswa commits citizenship for Bengali Hindus
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (PTI File Image) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. (PTI File Image) Guwahati: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who is campaigning in Bengali dominated Barrak Valley on Saturday said that he would provide citizenship and resolve the issue of Doubtful (D)-voters of Hindu-Bengali in next six months after the elections in the state. D-voters are those who could not provide evidence in favour of their Indian nationality. The issue of D-voters is one of the most contentious topics in Assam's political and social sphere. The concept of D-voters was introduced in Assam in 1997 by the Election Commission. It does not exist anywhere else in India. There are about 96,987 D-voters in the state. Terming the Congress party as an old note which is no longer a legal tender, Mr Sarma pledged freebies---like monthly cash benefits under a state government scheme for 26 lakh families and scholarship for female students among others to woo the voters. He also assured free houses for tea garden workers too. The BJP has fielded Transport Minister Parimal Suklabaidya from the Silchar Lok Sabha constituency, which is reserved for the Scheduled Castes. Polling in the constituency is in the second phase on April 26. Stating that Congress was in the intensive care unit and unlikely to win any election for the next 50 years Mr Sarma also slammed the Trinamool Congress for a reign of terror in West Bengal and discrepancies in social welfare schemes. We will create jobs for youths, provide higher education opportunities for girls, bridge the divide between the (Bengali-dominated) Barak Valley and (Assamese-dominated) Brahmaputra Valley, and grant citizenship for Bengali Hindus, he said. Addressing another public rally Mr Sarma said, Someone who had been thinking of supporting the Congress will not do so if the person sees Rahul baba. Asserting that his government was focusing on inclusive development of all areas, he said that his government has also decided to provide 50,000 more jobs in addition to one lakh jobs that his government has already given.
75.95 pc of voters in Assam cast their votes in first phase of LS polls
75.95 pc of voters in Assam cast their votes in first phase of LS polls Assam recorded 75.95 per cent voter turnout in the first phase of polls, which was held in five parliamentary constituencies in the state on Friday. According to the Election Commission, 75.95 per cent of voters in five parliamentary constituencies - Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Kaziranga, Dibrugarh and Jorhat, came out to exercise their franchise in the first phase of the polls. 79.48 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Jorhat parliamentary constituency, while 76.74 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Dibrugarh, 75.79 per cent in Kaziranga, 74.81 per cent in Sonitpur, and 72.65 per cent in Lakhimpur. The second phase of polls for five Lok Sabha seats in Assam - Silchar, Karimganj, Diphu, Nagaon, and Darrang-Udalguri will be held on April 26. Altogether 60 candidates filed their nomination papers for four parliamentary constituencies in the state that are going to polls in the third phase on May 7. In the third phase, voting will be held in Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Barpeta and Guwahati parliamentary constituencies. According to the Chief Electoral Officer, Assam, 30 candidates had filed their nomination papers on the last day of submission for the third phase of the polls. On the last day of submission of nomination papers for the third phase of polls, 7 candidates filed their nomination papers in Kokrajhar, 10 in Dhubri, 9 in Barpeta and 4 in Guwahati, said the DIPR, Assam, in a press statement. BJP is contesting 11 out of 14 seats in Assam, while its ally parties, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), are contesting in two seats (Barpeta and Dhubri) and UPPL in one seat (Kokrajhar), respectively. (ANI)
Political parties to obtain MCMCs permission for publication of advertisements
HT Bureau SILCHAR, April 18: No political party, candidate, or any organization or individual shall print any advertisement in the print media on the poll day and the day before without prior permission from the Media Certification and Monitoring Committee (MCMC) under the Election Commission. According to the ECIS guidelines an application for publication of []
Tainted & scary polls: Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee expresses concerns about the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, supporting Trinamool Congress leadership for the INDIA bloc. She campaigns in Assam's Silchar and criticizes the Modi government as agency-controlled and dishonest.
Will repeal NRC, CAA if INDIA bloc voted to power: Mamata
Silchar: Alleging that the BJP has made the entire country a detention camp, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the CAA and NRC will be scrapped if opposition bloc INDIA forms government at the Centre. Addressing an election rally here in support of four TMC candidates in Assam, she alleged that there Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Target to increase voter turnout by more than 84 %: DEO Rohan Kumar Jha
HT Bureau GUWAHATI, April 15: There is a need to increase voters turnout by more than 84 per cent or above, said district election and returning officer, Rohan Kumar Jha. Jha made this remark on the occasion of launching the theme song for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Silchar on Saturday. Officially unveiling several []
Three nominations rejected for second-phase Assam polls
Three nominations rejected for second-phase Assam polls The nomination papers of three out of 65 candidates have been rejected during scrutiny for the second phase of polls to five parliamentary constituencies of Assam on April 26, an election official said. The nominations of two candidates were rejected in Nagaon and one in Karimganj. However, in Silchar (SC), Darrang-Udalguri and Diphu (ST), all the papers submitted were found valid. Altogether 65 candidates had filed their nominations for the second phase on the last day on Thursday. In Nagaon, the nominations of independent candidate Biswajit Bordoloi and Hamar Raj Party's Horen Bhumij were rejected, while those of the remaining 13 were found valid, the official said. The prominent candidates in Nagaon are sitting Congress MP Prodyut Bordoloi, BJP's Suresh Bora and AIUDF's Aminul Islam. In Karimganj, the nomination of independent candidate Biplab Das was rejected. Of the 24 other candidates whose papers were found valid, the prominent ones include sitting BJP MP Kripanath Malla, Hafez Rashid Choudhury of the Congress and AIUDF's Sahibul Alam Choudhury. The papers of sitting BJP MP Dilip Saikia, Congress candidate Madhab Rajbongshi, Bodo Peoples' Front (BPF)'s Durga Das Boro and eight other contestants were found valid in Darrang-Udalguri. In Silchar, the nominations of all the eight candidates were found valid. They include state minister Parimal Suklabaidya of the BJP, Surya Kanta Sarkar of the Congress and TMCs Radheyshyam Biswa. In Diphu (ST), all five nominations were found valid. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 8. In the first phase of the polls scheduled on April 19, 35 candidates are in the fray for the Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur constituencies.
In Assam's biggest-ever drug haul, heroin worth Rs 210 crore seized
In Assam's biggest-ever drug haul, heroin worth Rs 210 crore seized In the biggest-ever drug haul in Assam, heroin worth Rs 210 crore was seized in the Cachar district, police said. One person was also arrested in connection with the seizure, they said. In a joint operation of the Special Task Force (STF) and Cachar Police, a vehicle from Mizoram was intercepted in Sayeedpur in Silchar police station area on Thursday, STF Inspector General Parthasarathi Mahanta told PTI. ''On searching the vehicle, more than 21.5 kg of heroin was seized from it, out of which 18 kg was in the purest form that needs further processing, while 3.5 kg was finished product,'' Mahanta said. The value of the seized drugs was estimated to be around Rs 210 crore in the international black market, he said. The vehicle has been seized and the legal procedures have started, he added. ''We had received information that a huge consignment of drugs from a neighbouring state was on its way to be supplied to some big cities. We upped our vigil and were keenly observing the developments,'' Mahanta said. The vehicle started its journey three days ago and reached the location, where it was intercepted, on Thursday, he said. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on X, ''In a big step towards a #DrugsFreeAssam, 21 kg of heroin has been seized in Silchar in a joint operation by @STFAssam & @cacharpolice. One person has been arrested and investigation is underway to crack the supply grid. Well done @assampolice!''
BREAKING NEWS: Assam Heroin , 200 Crore Heroine Seized
200 Crore Heroin Seized in Assam: (Silchar) STF , 200 . .
Assam govt to take full responsibility for educating girl students: Himanta
Assam govt to take full responsibility for educating girl students: Himanta Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday promised that the BJP government in the state will shoulder the responsibility of educating girl students up to the postgraduate level, and families with a ration card will receive life insurance paid for by the government. Currently, all girls who pass the class 10 examinations are given a cycle or a scooter, but from this year, an amount of Rs 10,000 will be deposited for two years in their bank accounts while they are studying for the class 12 board examinations, the CM said. He was speaking at public rallies before the filing of nominations by BJP candidates for Nagaon and Darrang-Udalguri constituencies going to polls in the second phase on April 26. After the girls pass class 12, they will be given Rs 12,500 for taking admission in college, while those going for postgraduate studies will be given Rs 25,000, he added. ''Betak ma baap porhabo, betik Mama porhabo (Parents will educate their sons but Mama, as he is called by youngsters in the state, will educate the girls)'', Sarma said. While households having ration cards are already getting 5 kg of free rice, Ujjala gas connection and Ayushman Bharat health card, after the elections, the head of the family will get life insurance whose premium will be paid by the state government and a woman member will get the benefits of the 'Orunodoi' scheme, Sarma said. Sarma said since the election Model Code of Conduct is in place, he cannot make financial announcements but the promises made during campaigning will be implemented after the elections. Sarma credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with bringing peace and prosperity to previously troubled areas like Udalguri. He highlighted the BJP government's track record of job creation and pledged to announce 50,000 more jobs post-election. Sarma assured the electorate that the BJP's governance at both the central and state levels would drive the region's development. ''In Assam, it will be Modi's guarantee along with 'Mama's' warranty that will take the state towards development. If Modi is there as Prime Minister, Assam will definitely march ahead towards peace and development to become a leading state of the country and for this the people must ensure the win of the BJP candidates'', he said. In Nagaon, Sarma attended the filing of nomination papers by the party candidate Suresh Bora and in Darrang-Udalguri he was present when sitting BJP MP Dilip Saikia filed his papers. Besides Nagaon and Darrang-Udalguri, polls in the second phase will be held in Karimganj, Silchar (SC) and Diphu (ST). Referring to the Congress, Sarma said there is no point talking about the opposition party as it is like an old currency note with no value in the market. ''There is no point voting for the party as it cannot do anything for the people'', he added.
Parimal Suklabaidya will win with record margin of votes from Silchar, says Assam CM Sarma
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Remaining Cong members will join BJP if Rahul comes to Assam for campaigning: CM Himanta
Remaining Cong members will join BJP if Rahul comes to Assam for campaigning: CM Himanta Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday remarked that the remaining members of the Congress would also join the BJP if their leader, Rahul Gandhi, comes to the state for campaigning. ''I want Rahul Gandhi to come and campaign in the state so that those still left in Congress will also join BJP,'' the chief minister said, referring to the recent trend of several leaders and members of the grand old party joining the saffron party. Rahul came to Assam once (referring to the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in January) and after that so many Congress members joined the BJP, Sarma said. ''If he comes again, I will not have to make any effort and many more will join us'', he said. ''Congress is like an old note now which is of no use and there can be no comparison between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi,'' he said at a public rally in Silchar. If people visit Rajiv Bhavan (state Congress headquarters) in Guwahati, they ''will be surprised to see that there is nobody there and it appears that there is curfew, a self-imposed curfew''. The people of the entire country are with the Prime Minister and ''we will have to ensure the win of the BJP candidates from Barak Valley as everybody wants Modi to become PM for the third successive term''. ''If Modi becomes the Prime Minister, India will become a Vishwaguru and nobody has any doubt on this'', he added. The opposition has no issue and ''so I don't want to talk about them. It is Modi's guarantee along with some small guarantees of mine that will ensure Assam's development so that we live in peace, harmony and become a leading state in the country''. Modi's guarantee will be there in the manifesto and 'Mama' (as Sarma is referred to by youngsters in the state) will ''add some small warranty to it in Assam'', he said. The chief minister assured the people of Barak Valley that the mini secretariat in Silchar and East-West corridor via Haflong will be completed by 2026, a large-scale industry will be set up at the defunct Cachar Paper Mill, the medical college at Ramkrishnanagar will be completed in three years and work for the new agriculture university at Patharkandi will also begin soon. The CM was on a day-long visit to the two Barak Valley constituencies of Silchar (SC) and Karimganj for the filing of nominations by the BJP candidates, Parimal Suklabaidya and Kripanath Mallah, respectively.
'Want Rahul Gandhi to campaign in Assam as it will benefit BJP': Himanta Biswa Sarma in Silchar rally
Assam: Nine nominations filed for second phase of LS polls
Assam: Nine nominations filed for second phase of LS polls Nine candidates in Assam filed their nomination papers on Tuesday, taking the total number of nominees to 14 for the second phase of polls, which will cover five parliamentary constituencies in the state on April 26, an election official said. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was present during the filing of nomination by BJP candidate Amarsingh Tisso for Diphu (ST) constituency. Speaking on the occasion, Sarma said the elections this time was a formality to re-elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to ensure that the development work initiated by him continues. He said the tribal areas of the state suffered from insurgency for decades but it was due to the PM's initiative that violence has ended and development has taken place. In Diphu (ST), two candidates filed their nominations so far with an independent submitting his papers earlier. In Karimganj, AIUDF candidate Sahabul Alam Choudhury and independent aspirant Binoy Krishna Roy filed their nominations, bringing the total number of candidates in the constituency to four. Previously, SUCI(C)'s Prajwal Sudip Dev and independent candidate Dilip Kumar had also submitted their papers. In Silchar (SC), three more candidates filed their nominations. They are SUCI(C)'s Provas Chandra Sarkar, Bangali Nabonirma Sena's Barindra Kumar Das and independent Raju Das. Former Lok Sabha MP Radhey Shyam Biswas of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) submitted his nomination for the Silchar constituency on Monday, taking the total number of candidates to four. In Nagaon, two independent candidates, Abu Shama and Sikha Sarma, filed their nominations, while Saiful Islam Chowdhury of Asom Jana Morcha submitted his papers on Monday, taking the total to three aspirants so far. In Darrang-Udalguri, Lalit Pegu of Voters Party International (VPI) submitted his nomination during the day. Overall, the total number of nominations filed for the second phase polls, covering Nagaon, Darrang-Udalguri, Diphu (ST), Silchar (SC), and Karimganj, stands at 14. The prominent candidates to contest in the second phase are Congress sitting MP Pradyut Bordoloi from Nagaon against BJP's Suresh Bora and AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam. BJP sitting MP Dilip Saikia has been pitted against Congress candidate Madhab Rajbongshi in Darrang-Udalguri. In Silchar (SC), Assam Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya is the BJP candidate and he will take on Congress youth leader and district general secretary Surjya Kanta Sarkar. In Karimganj, sitting BJP MP Kripanath Mallah will take on Congress candidate Hafez Ahmed Choudhury and AIUDF's Sahabul Islam Choudhury. The last date for filing of nominations is April 4, scrutiny on April 5 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 8. In the first phase, 35 candidates are in the fray for the Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur constituencies. In the outgoing Lok Sabha, BJP held nine seats, Congress three, AIUDF and an independent one from the state.
Assam: Two nominations filed for second phase
Assam: Two nominations filed for second phase Two candidates, one each in Silchar (SC) and Nagaon, filed their nominations for the second phase of polls to five parliamentary constituencies in Assam on April 26, an election official said. Radhey Shyam Biswas, a former Lok Sabha MP from All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), filed his nomination in Silchar, while Saiful Islam Chowdhury of Asom Jana Morcha filed in Nagaon. Biswas, previously elected as an AIUDF candidate from Karimganj constituency in 2014, later joined AITC after losing to BJP's Kripanath Mallah in 2019. As of now, five nominations have been filed for the second phase, including two in Karimganj and one in Diphu. The second phase will witness elections in Nagaon, Darrang-Udalguri, Diphu (ST), Silchar (SC), and Karimganj constituencies. Notable candidates in this phase include Congress sitting MP Pradyut Bordoloi from Nagaon, BJP MP Dilip Saikia in Darrang-Udalguri, and Assam Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya in Silchar, among others. The last date for filing nominations is April 4, with scrutiny on April 5 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations being April 8. Polling for the 14 Sabha constituencies in Assam will be conducted in the first three phases of the seven-phase general elections on April 19, 26, and May 7, with five constituencies each in the first and second phases and four in the third phase. In the first phase, 35 candidates are in the fray from Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur, and Lakhimpur constituencies. In the outgoing Lok Sabha, BJP held nine seats, Congress three, AIUDF one, and an independent one from the state.
Four killed in rain-related incidents in Assam
GUWAHATI: Four persons, including a woman, lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Assam on Sunday evening, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said on Monday. According to ASDMA, two persons died in lighting, one in storm and another when a boat capsized. The deaths occurred in Cachar, West Karbi Anglong, Udalguri and South Salmara districts. The victims were identified as Sakhi Begum Laskar, Pintu Chauhan, Ruparam Basumatary and Samin Mondal. Chauhan and Basumatary died when lightning struck them while Laskar died when a storm wreaked havoc in 10 districts, including Cachar where she hailed from. Six persons, injured by lightning in Cachar, were admitted to Silchar Medical College and Hospital. The four-year-old Mondal died when a boat capsized on the Brahmaputra in South Salmara district. There were 15 people in the boat and two of them were reported missing. Official sources said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been constantly monitoring the impact caused by the heavy rains and storm. State Emergency Operation Centre is coordinating 24X7 with DCs of the 10 affected districts. Following preliminary assessment, we regret to inform the unfortunate loss of 4 lives. 45 villages have been affected by yesterdays inclement weather, the CMs office wrote on X. HCM Dr @himantabiswa is constantly monitoring the impact caused by heavy rains and storm that hit Assam on 31.03.2024. State Emergency Operation Centre is coordinating 24*7 with DCs of the 10 affected districts. Following preliminary assessment we regret to inform the pic.twitter.com/LxcnyNJZUD Chief Minister Assam (@CMOfficeAssam) April 1, 2024
Assam BJP aims for muslim votes, highlights development in muslim areas
UDALGURI: The BJP in Assam is pinning hopes on getting Muslim votes by riding on the prevailing peace and equal treatment of communities by the government. The state has 14 Lok Sabha seats and the Muslims have sizeable voters in six of them Dhubri, Barpeta, Nagaon, Darrang-Udalguri, Karimganj and Silchar. Talking to journalists after attending an event of NDA constituents here on Saturday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told journalists he does not find any reason why the Muslims would not vote for the BJP. For the first time, the minorities got a taste of good governance. There is neither any communal tension nor is there any Hindu-Muslim conflict. There is also no conflict between tribals and non-tribals. People are freely taking part in religious activities. They are at peace and not facing any problem, Sarma said. He said the Muslims also possessed ration cards while roads and bridges had been built also in Muslim areas. I dont think the Muslim society wants anything more than this. But if they do not vote for us this time around, we have to analyse where we faulted because we have not ill-performed anywhere. We treated all people equally, truly living by the slogan of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas, Sarma said. He said he had seen people cutting across communities turning up at all his election rallies. To a query, he said the BJP was working hard and not complacent. He said he has 32 election programmes, beginning with a 13 km bicycle ride in Majuli on April 1. In the past few elections, Sarma had been spot on with his prediction of seats for the parties. On Saturday, he said the BJP would win at least 11 of Assams 14 seats, two more than its 2019 tally of nine. As regards the Northeast which has altogether 25 seats, he predicted that 22 of them would go to NDA. The BJP is not contesting seven seats in the region following its understanding with NDA partners.
Bribery case: Vigilance team arrests govt officer in Silchar
Guwahati, Mar 22: In continuation with the string of arrests of corrupt government officials in Assam, the directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption on Friday arrested a sub-officer in-charge of Dholai fire and emergency service station in Cachar district in a bribery case. A complaint was received the vigilance directorate, alleging that Basanta Sinha, sub-officer in-charge [] The post Bribery case: Vigilance team arrests govt officer in Silchar appeared first on The Shillong Times .
Assam: No Aadhaar, No Citizenship, So No Vote to BJP, Says Citizens Convention
Why have 27 lakh Assamese been deprived their Aadhaar cards, a Citizens Convention on March 17 at Silchar, Barak Valley demands an answer.
Tuberculosis (TB) is considered a serious respiratory infection, which increases the risk of many health problems. TB infection, caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, can cause serious damage to the lungs. Despite the continuous efforts of the government to prevent this serious disease, TB cases in the country remain a cause of concern. According to media reports, recently thirty students of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Silchar, Assam, have been found infected with TB. Due to the confirmation of this serious disease among the students, an atmosphere of fear is being seen on the campus. A health department team tested 200 students on Tuesday and 30 of them were found to have TB symptoms, officials said. His samples have been sent to Silchar Medical College. A student from Bangladesh was found infected with the disease after returning home in February this year and was later isolated. Probably due to coming in contact with him, the rest of the students have become infected with TB. After students were found infected with TB, a question arose in the minds of people whether young people could also fall prey to this infection. Anyone can get TB NIT officials have refused to talk to the media on this subject. However, according to students, the infection is spreading rapidly in the institute. Health experts say TB infection can happen to a person of any age. Its risk has been seen to be higher in children under two years of age. TB in this age group can cause serious illness in the fluid around the brain-spinal cord, called meningitis. TB can have serious side effects in the elderly. Young adults can also be at risk due to the bacteria, so everyone must continue to be protected from TB. TB risk in young people The problem of TB has been a major threat among young people around the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a total of 7,882 TB cases in US states in 2021. In 2021, 317 cases of TB were seen in children aged 14 years or younger in the United States. This year, 4% of TB cases in the US were reported in children under 15 years of age. Health experts say people of any age can become vulnerable to infection. Some conditions increase the risk of infection and TB disease. These can be risk factors for TB infection Health experts say some factors increase the risk of infection. Living with or having close contact with a TB patient can increase your risk of infection. Apart from this, if you live in an area where there is already an outbreak of TB, then in this situation your risk of getting infected also increases. Apart from this, people whose immune system is weak also have a higher risk of getting infected and getting TB disease. How to avoid TB? Health experts say, that in countries where the TB problem is common, the risk of infection can be reduced by vaccinating infants with Bacille Calmette-Gurin (BCG). Apart from this, there is a risk of TB or any other type of respiratory infection spreading rapidly in places with less ventilation, hence it is important to ensure better air circulation in the room. Wearing a mask can also be an effective way to keep you safe from the risk of respiratory infections. (PC: Pixabay)
Assam: 11 students of NIT-Silchar found positive for TB
Assam: 11 students of NIT-Silchar found positive for TB Eleven students of NIT-Silchar in Assam were diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB), an official said on Tuesday. It is suspected that several other students are also suffering from the disease, and they are being tested, he said. Most of these students lived in hostels 9 A, B and C, he added. The TB-positive students were detected over the last two days, the official said. A standing operating procedure (SOP) has been issued to prevent further spread of the communicable disease, mandating all to wear masks on the campus. Meanwhile, the district administration announced that mass testing of students for TB would be carried out at the prestigious engineering institute. All efforts are being made to ensure that the spread of the disease is controlled, the official said.
Demography to play crucial role in four distinct regions of Assam
Demography to play crucial role in four distinct regions of Assam Assam's varied demography will be the deciding factor in the three-phased polls to 14 Lok Sabha seats, spread over four distinct regions, namely the Brahmaputra Valley, Barak Valley, hill districts and Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). The indigenous Assamese people, Hindu Bengalis, minorities including Assamese Muslims and Bengali-speaking immigrants, ethnic tribes and the tea tribe community will play key roles in different pockets during polling on April 19, 26 and May 7. Polling for five constituencies of Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Kaziranga, Lakhimpur and Sonitpur, all in the Brahmaputra Valley, will be held in the first phase on April 19. In the first phase, the fates of Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Lok Sabha's deputy leader of the opposition Gaurav Gogoi, BJP's Rajya Sabha MP and party spokesperson Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, sitting BJP MPs Topon Gogoi and Pradan Baruah and Assam MLA and former minister Ranjit Dutta will be decided. These constituencies have a mixed population of Assamese, comprising the politically important Tai-Ahom community, the tea tribes, earlier a Congress loyalist vote bloc that has shifted allegiance to the BJP since 2014, and tribal groups such as the Mising and Sonowal-Kachari, among others. The BJP, with all the five constituencies in its kitty, has made deep inroads in the last decade and the opposition parties will have to put considerable efforts to make an impact. The Brahmaputra Valley is again divided into the northern and southern banks with Lakhimpur and Sonitpur in the former and the remaining three in the latter. The state is also divided into Upper, Central and Lower Assam divisions, with all constituencies going to polls in the first phase being in Upper Assam. The delimitation exercise in the state last year christened the erstwhile Kaliabor parliamentary constituency, represented by Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi in the outgoing Parliament, as Kaziranga with Gogoi shifting to Jorhat this time. BJP's Tasa will take on former Congress MLA Roselina Tirkey, both belonging to the tea tribe community, in Kaziranga which according to the delimitation realignment has a sizeable population of tea tribe and pockets of Hindu Bengalis in some newly added assembly segments of the constituency. In the commercial hub of Dibrugarh, the BJP has denied a ticket to its sitting MP and Union minister Rameswar Teli, pitting Sonowal against United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA)'s candidate and Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Gogoi. In Jorhat, Gaurav Gogoi will contest against BJP's sitting MP Topon Gogoi while in Sonitpur, Dutta will take on Congress state general secretary Prem Lal Ganju. In Lakhimpur, the BJP has given a ticket to sitting MP Pradan Baruah while the opposition is yet to announce its candidate for the seat. In the second phase on April 26, polling will be held in Diphu (ST), comprising three hill districts of Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong, Darrang-Udalguri, a part of which is in BTR, two constituencies of Silchar (SC) and Karimganj in Barak Valley, besides Central Assam's Nagaon constituency. The prominent candidates in the second phase are sitting BJP MPs Dilip Saikia from Darrang-Udalguri, Kripanath Malla from Karimganj, state excise minister Parimal Suklabaidya from Silchar, and Congress sitting MP Pradyut Bordoloi, BJP's Suresh Bora and AIUDF's Dhing MLA Aminul Islam from Nagaon. During the delimitation exercise, the Scheduled Caste tag was removed from Karimganj and accorded to Silchar, with both constituencies having a large population of Hindu Bengali voters, who have welcomed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. In Diphu (ST) seat, where the BJP has fielded first-timer Amarsing Tisso against its former MLA and now Congress candidate Joyram Engleng, Karbi and Dimasa tribes will play pivotal roles. In Darrang-Udalguri, BJP's Saikia will battle it out with former two-time Congress MP Madhab Rajbongshi with Bodo, Adivasi and Assamese voters to play deciding roles. In the third and final phase on May 7, polling will be held in Central Assam's prestigious Guwahati, Lower Assam's Dhubri and Barpeta and BTR's Kokrajhar constituencies. In Guwahati, represented by BJP women MPs since 2009, the party has nominated its state vice president Bijuli Kalita Medhi, by replacing sitting MP Queen Ojha, and she will take on Congress spokesperson Mira Borthakur Goswami. In minority-dominated Dhubri, AIUDF president Badruddin Ajmal will make a bid to retain the seat for the fourth consecutive term with former minister and Samaguri Congress MLA Rakibul Hussain and Asom Gana Parishad's Zabed Islam expected to put up a good fight. The assembly segments of Barpeta Lok Sabha constituency, which was earlier minority-dominated, have been reworked during the delimitation exercise causing realignment of demography and is expected to witness an interesting contest with the Congress denying seat to its sitting MP Abdul Khaleque, who subsequently resigned from the party. The Congress has given the seat to Assam Pradesh Seva Dal president Deep Bayan while the NDA has left it for AGP with its former minister Phanibhushan Choudhury to contest the seat, while the CPI(M), a constituent of the UOFA, announced that its Sorbhog MLA Manoranjan Kalita will also contest from the seat. The Kokrajhar (ST) constituency in the BTR is also set to witness an interesting contest with NDA partner United People's Party Liberal (UPPL)'s candidate Joyanta Basumatary pitted against Congress' Garjan Mushahary. In the outgoing Parliament, the BJP held nine seats, the Congress three, and the AIUDF one. There is also an Independent MP.
TMC announces candidates for 4 Lok Sabha seats in Assam
TMC announces candidates for 4 Lok Sabha seats in Assam In a setback to opposition unity in Assam, the Trinamool Congress on Thursday announced candidates for four Lok Sabha seats in which other anti-BJP parties have already declared nominees. Through a post on X, the All India Trinamool Congress published the candidate list for Kokrajhar (ST), Barpeta, Lakhimpur and Silchar (SC) seats. ''Under the guidance and inspiration of Hon'ble Chairperson Smt @MamataOfficial (Mamata Banerjee), we are pleased to announce the AITC candidates from four Parliamentary Constituencies in Assam,'' it said. It nominated Gauri Sankar Sarania in Kokrajhar, Abul Kalam Azad in Barpeta, Ghana Kanta Chutia in Lakhimpur and Radhashyam Biswas in Silchar. TMC is a part of the United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA), formed in the state with 16 parties in line with the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). Out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam, the Congress on Tuesday announced candidates for 12 seats. It has offered Dibrugarh seat to alliance partner Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), while no decision has been taken yet on the Lakhimpur constituency. The CPI(M) on Wednesday announced that its MLA Manoranjan Talukdar will contest from the Barpeta Lok Sabha seat, for which the Congress had already declared its candidate. Another UOFA member, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), also announced candidates for three seats in Assam. The CPI too said that it was considering contesting from a few seats in the state. From the ruling NDA, the BJP named 11 candidates, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) nominated two and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) declared one candidate. The BJP has nine MPs in the current Lok Sabha from the state, while its allies AGP and UPPL have no representation. The Congress holds three seats and the AIUDF one, while another is an Independent candidate.
Cong declares 12 candidates for Assam; Gaurav Gogoi shifts to Jorhat
Cong declares 12 candidates for Assam; Gaurav Gogoi shifts to Jorhat Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi has moved out from his Kaliabor constituency and will contest from Jorhat in Assam during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the party said on Tuesday. Prominent Congress leader, former Assam minister and sitting MP from Nagaon seat, Pradyut Bordoloi has been nominated to contest from the same constituency. Out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats, the Congress announced candidates for 12 seats. It has offered one seat to alliance partner Assam Jatiya Parishad, while no decision has been taken yet on the remaining constituency. Gogoi is a Lok Sabha MP from Kaliabor, which has been rechristened as Kaziranga after the delimitation exercise last year. He will contest against incumbent BJP MP Topon Kumar Gogoi in the neighbouring prestigious Jorhat seat. ''I would like to express my gratitude to my party the @INCIndia for the opportunity to serve the people of Jorhat. On this important day, I remember my father, the former Chief Minister of Assam Late Shri Tarun Gogoi,'' the Congress leader said on X along with a photograph of the father-son duo. ''I strive to uphold his unwavering belief in the Congress ideology and his vision for a prosperous Assam. In the days to come, I am confident that my party and all our hardworking supporters will become pillars of strength for me. I seek the blessing and support of the people of Jorhat for the days to come,'' he added. Congress has named Roselina Tirkey from Kaziranga. She is a former one-time MLA from Sarupathar Assembly constituency and a prominent young leader of the tea tribe community. Her direct contest will be against BJP's Rajya Sabha Member Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, nominated by the ruling party. Incumbent MP Bordoloi's direct fight will be against his erstwhile confidante Suresh Bora, who was in Congress and joined the BJP around two months back. Bora was the Nagaon district president of Congress and had unsuccessfully contested Assembly polls thrice from Barhampur. ''The party has once again entrusted a heavy responsibility upon me to dedicate myself to the service of the people of Assam. I am ready to contest the election with the blessings of Maa Kamakhya. The blessings of all the people will be the ultimate source of strength for me in this journey,'' Bordoloi said in a post on X. In the high-profile Guwahati constituency, the opposition party has named Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress (APMC) president Mira Barthakur Goswami, a first-timer. She is likely to have a direct contest with BJP's new face Bijuli Kalita Medhi, who is a Vice President of Assam BJP and the former president of the party's women wing in the state. Goswami in a post on Facebook thanked all the senior leaders of the Assam Congress as well as the party's central leadership. This will be the first election in Assam after the Election Commission of India carried out the delimitation exercise only for Assam last year which was strongly criticised by the opposition parties alleging that it was done to help the ruling BJP only. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nine MPs in the current Lok Sabha from the state, while its allies AGP and UPPL have no representation. The Congress holds three seats and the AIUDF one, while another is an Independent candidate. The Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislature Party in Assam and a former minister in Tarun Gogoi's cabinet, Rakibul Hussain will contest the Lok Sabha election for the first time from Dhubri, a bastion of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF). Hussain is likely to face a triangular contest with AIUDF chief and incumbent MP Badruddin Ajmal and ruling alliance Asom Gana Parishad's Zabed Islam, a former Assam MLA. Sitting Congress MP from Barpeta, Abdul Khaleque has been denied a ticket this time and Deep Bayan will fight the polls from the linguistically as well as religiously sensitive constituency. Bayan is the President of Assam Pradesh Congress Seva Dal and a senior spokesperson of the APCC. Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury, a prominent lawyer who joined the Congress a couple of months ago, will contest from Karimganj seat. He was a senior leader of the AIUDF, before going on to head the Assam state unit of the Samajwadi Party for a few years. His direct contest will be against incumbent BJP MP Kripanath Mallah. Garjan Mushahary, named as a Congress candidate for Kokrajhar (ST), was chief convener of People's Joint Action Committee for Bodoland Movement and joined the grand old party in 2021. The PJACBM had spearheaded the movement for Bodoland state demand along with other groups. Congress has named Madhab Rajbangshi for the Darrang-Udalguri seat against BJP's sitting MP Dilip Saikia. Rajbongshi is a two-time Congress MP from erstwhile Mangaldoi and had briefly switched sides to the AGP for a few years but later came back to the Congress fold again. The opposition party has pitted former BJP MLA, Joyram Engleng, against BJP first-timer Amarsing Tisso in Diphu (ST). Engleng, who had joined the Congress in 2023, is a former Chief Executive Member of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, while Tisso is an existing Executive Member of the body. Young Congress leader and General Secretary of the district committee Surjya Kanta Sarkar will contest from Silchar (SC). He is likely to have a tough fight against Assam Excise, Transport and Fisheries Minister Parimal Suklabaidya, who carries a clean image and is a party old timer from the Barak valley. For Sonitpur, the Congress has nominated Prem Lal Ganju, the General Secretary of the party's state unit. His direct fight will be against BJP's former state minister and sitting MLA Ranjit Dutta, who will contest in the general elections for the first time.
Assam: Congress names 12 candidates, Gaurav Gogoi to contest from Jorhat
GUWAHATI: The uncertainty over who will be the Congress Nagaon candidate in the Lok Sabha elections is over. The Congress has renominated its sitting MP Pradyot Bordoloi from the seat. The partys Kaliabor MP Gaurav Gogoi has been shifted to Jorhat. Kaliabor was rechristened as Kaziranga after the delimitation exercise of last year. The name of Gogoi, Congress Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha, as the possible Nagaon candidate was doing the rounds. Assam has 14 Lok Sabha seats and the Congress on Tuesday announced the names of its 12 candidates. Bordoloi will face a challenge from his erstwhile party associate Suresh Bora who joined the BJP only two months ago. Gogoi will be up against Tapan Kumar Gogoi of the BJP. The delimitation exercise had made the Congress challenge tougher in the two seats of Kaziranga and Barpeta. As their demography and vote banks changed, Gogoi and Barpeta MP Abdul Khaleque sought to contest from Nagaon and Dhubri seats respectively. Khaleque said it in public, Gogoi did not. Khaleque has been denied ticket. The Congress offered one seat to Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) while no decision has been made on one seat. Congress and AJP are components in the states 16-party Opposition alliance. In the prestigious Guwahati seat, Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress chief Mira Barthakur Goswami will take on the might of BJP vice president Bijuli Kalita Medhi. Earlier, Medhi had served as the partys state women wing chief. The other Congress candidates are Somya Kanti Sarkar (Silchar), Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury (Karimganj), Deep Bayan (Barpeta), Joyram Engleng (Diphu), Rakibul Hussain (Dhubri), Garjan Mushahary (Kokrajhar), Madhav Rajbongshi (Darrang/Udalguri) Prem Lal Ganju (Sonitpur) and Roselina Tirkey (Kaziranga).
Assam vigilance team nabs govt employee in bribery case
Guwahati, March 5: A team from the directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption, Assam laid a trap at the Silchar Development Authority office on Tuesday and arrested an employee in a bribery case. According to a complaint lodged with the directorate, Abhijit Kar, field surveyor of the office of the Silchar Development Authority in Cachar [] The post Assam vigilance team nabs govt employee in bribery case appeared first on The Shillong Times .
NEW DELHI : The BJP replaced as many as 33 sitting MPs with new faces as it released its first list with names of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on Saturday. In the list, the BJP announced its candidates for 11 Lok Sabha seats in Assam . Of them, six candidates are sitting MPs while the other five are new faces. The party has fielded Parimal Suklabaidhya from Silchar Lok Sabha constituency, won by Rajdeep Roy in the 2019 general elections. From the Autonomous District (ST) seat, currently held by BBJP MP Horen Singh Bey, party nominee Amar Singh Tisso will contest. Bijuli Kalita Medhi will contest from Gauhati Lok Sabha seat which is held by Queen Oja. Ranjit Dutta will contest from Tezpur Lok Sabh seat which was won by Pallab Lochan Das in 2019. The BJP has named Union Minister Sarbanand Sonowal as its candidate from Dibrugarh constituency, dropping sitting MP Rameswar Teli. In the list of the BJP candidates for 11 seats in Chhattisgarh , four faces are new. From Janjgir Champa (SC) constituency, party nominee Kamlesh Jangde will contest the election, instead of sitting MP Guharam Ajgalley. From Raipur, senior BJP leader Brijmohan Agrawal will enter the fray, not Sunil Kumar Soni who won the seat in 2019. From the state's Mahasamund seat, BJP nominee Roop Kumari Choudhary will contest the Lok Sabha poll, instead of sitting MP Chunni Lal Sahu. Sitting MP Mohan Mandavi was replaced by BJP nominee Bhojraj Nag on Kanker (ST) seat. The BJP named its candidates for 15 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat , dropping five sitting MPs. From Banaskantha Lok Sabha seat, party nominee Rekhaben Hiteshbhai Choudhary will contest, instead of sitting MP Prabhatbhai Savabhai Patel. On Ahmedabad West (SC) seat, Dineshbhai Kidarbhai Makwana replaced three-term MP Kirit Solanki. For Rajkot Lok Sabha seat, the BJP named Union minister Parshottam Rupala as its candidate, dropping sitting MP Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya. The party named Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya for the Porbandar seat, currently held by party MP Rameshbhai Lavjibhai Dhaduk. From Panchmahal seat in Gujarat, BJP nominee Rajpalsinh Mahendrasinh Jadhav will join the fray, instead of sitting MP Ratansinh Magansinh Rathod. In Jharkhand , BJP fielded Manish Jaiswal from Hazaribagh seat, which is currently held by Jayant Sinha, son of former Union minister Yashwant Sinha. On Lohardaga (ST) seat, three-time MP Sudarshan Bhagat was replaced by Samir Oraon. In its list of candidates for Madhya Pradesh , the BJP replaced seven sitting MPs with new faces. The party named Bharat Singh Kushwaha for the Gwalior Lok Sabha seat, instead of its sitting MP Vivek Narayan Shejwalker. It dropped sitting MP from Guna, Krishnapal Singh Yadav, to field Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia from the seat. BJP nominee Lata Wankhede will join the fray from Sagar Lok Sabha seat, which is currently held by Rajbahadur Singh. Virendra Khatik will contest from Tikamgarh (SC) seat. The BJP has dropped Vidisha MP Ramakant Bhargava to name former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as its candidate from the seat. Alok Sharma will be its candidate from the Bhopal seat, currently held by Sadhvi Pragya Singh. From Ratlam (ST) seat, currently held by BJP MP Guman Singh Damor, party nominee Anita Nagar Singh chauhan will contest. The BJP announced its candidates for 15 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan , replacing five sitting MPs with new faces who will contest from Churu, Bharatpur, Jalore, Udaipur, and Banswara contingency. The party named former Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb as its candidate from Tripura West seat, which is currently held by party MP Pratima Bhoumik. The BJP also dropped its Alipurduar MP John Barla in West Bengal to field Manoj Tigga from the constituency, reserved for Scheduled Tribe. In Delhi Apparent disconnect with constituents and strong anti-incumbency sentiments emerging in surveys carried out by the party have reportedly worked against four sitting BJP MPs in Delhi. The names of Ramesh Bidhuri (South Delhi), Meenakshi Lekhi (New Delhi), Parvesh Sahib Singh (West Delhi) and Dr Harsh Vardhan (Chandni Chowk) were missing from the first list of 195 candidates for the Lok Sabha election released on Saturday. Party insiders said RSS, too, was unhappy with a couple of MPs, flagging its concerns over their functioning. A senior Delhi BJP leader said not just the Sangh, a section of state leaders and workers too were upset. The decision to deny the ticket has not come as a complete surprise. Resentment against them was noticeable, said a former party officer-bearer. Delhi has seven Lok Sabha seats. Only Bhojpuri actor-turned-politician Manoj Tiwari is retained from Northeast Delhi in the first list. BJP functionaries in Delhi said the age factor also played a role in the case of Harsh Vardhan, adding that Covid mismanagement during the second wave might be another reason. Leader of opposition in the Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri has been fielded in place of Ramesh and former South Delhi mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat has replaced Parvesh. Party leaders said besides negative feedback from the party cadre, hate comments might have cost them their ticket. Bansuri Swaraj, daughter of late Sushma Swaraj, will contest from New Delhi, which is represented by Meenakshi Lekhi. (With inputs from PTI)
BJP denies LS tickets to Union minister Rameswar Teli, four MPs from Assam in its first list
GUWAHATI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which on Saturday announced the first list of its 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, denied tickets to five sitting MPs in Assam, which sends14 lawmakers to the Parliament. The saffron party will contest from 11 out of the 14 seats in Assam. The party left two seats to Asom Gana Parishad and one to United Peoples Party Liberal, both its allies. The five candidates denied tickets include Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Rameswar Teli (Dibrugarh), Queen Ojha (Guwahati), Pallab Lochan Das (Tezpur), Rajdeep Roy (Silchar), and Horen Sing Bey (Diphu). Meanwhile,11 candidates featured on the first list including Union minister and former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal (Dibrugarh), Bijuli Kalita Medhi (Guwahati), Kamakhya Prasad Tasa (Kaziranga), Tapan Gogoi (Jorhat), Ranjit Dutta (Tezpur), Dilip Saikia (Mangaldoi), Kripanath Mallah (Karimganj), Parimal Suklabaidya (Silchar), Suresh Bora (Nagaon), Pradan Barua (Lakhimpur) and Amar Singh Tiso (Diphu). Tasa is a former MP while Suklabaidya is currently serving as a minister in the state. In Tripura, the BJP is fielding former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb in the Tripura West seat, which is currently held by Union Minister Pratima Bhowmick. In Arunachal Pradesh, the party renominated its two MPsUnion Minister Kiren Rijiju (Arunachal West) and Tapir Gao (Arunachal East).
