Revision as of 19:45, 12 March 2022

2018

Panchayats: BJP leads, Cong 2nd, AGP 3rd

Naresh Mitra, BJP leads in panchayat poll, Cong a close 2nd, December 14, 2018: The Times of India

BJP continued to maintain its lead in the Assam panchayat polls on Thursday with Congress emerging a close second.

According to the latest figures issued by the State Election Commission, of the 26,808 rural body seats up for election, BJP has won 7,505 so far, followed by Congress with 5,713 and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) with 1,917. BJP had already won 380 seats uncontested, followed by Congress which won 193 and AGP 28. BJP has been doing well in upper, northern and central Assam and has managed to make inroads into minority-dominated districts in lower Assam. “This is a victory of our government’s pro-people policies,” Ranjeet Kumar Dass, the state BJP chief, said on Thursday. “People across the state rose above the divisive politics of groups with vested interests and chose BJP,” he added.

AGP, which parted ways with BJP for the rural elections after differences over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, said that it was time for introspection. “We respect BJP’s victory and the mandate of the people... we will assess where things went wrong,” AGP chief Atul Bora said.

Former CM Tarun Gogoi said Congress could have fared better had the ticket distribution been more meticulous. “We had our shortcomings,” he said.

6 panchayat candidates win by coin toss

B B Goswami, December 14, 2018: The Times of India

At least six candidates contesting the panchayat election in Barak Valley won by tossing a coin after they were tied with another candidate. Independent candidate Rajana Begum and Congress’s Idarjaan Borbhuiyan, secured 125 votes each in a constituency in Cachar district. Idarjaan was declared winner after she won the toss, a senior election official said.

Five other candidates — one anchalik panchayat candidate under Lalamukh gram panchayat, three gram panchayat members under Nischintapur and one under Panchgram in Hailakandi — were also declared winners after winning the toss. “The candidates accepted it gracefully without any fuss,” said Hailakandi zilla parishad CEO NKSK Singha.

2019

BJP, AGP take over Hailakandi council

BB Goswami, February 8, 2019: The Times of India

Despite securing majority in the Hailakandi zila parishad, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) lost out on formation of the council following a revival of ties between old allies BJP and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) at the panchayat level.

Farhana Khanam Choudhury of the Rangauti-Nitainagar Zila Parishad Council won the seat in the election held on December 9 as an AIUDF candidate. With six seats, AIUDF had secured majority, followed by BJP (4) and AGP (1). However, Khanam defected to BJP, and with support from the AGP member, formed the Hailakandi zila parishad. Farhana is president of the parishad while AGP’s Hilal Uddin Barbhuiya is the vice-president.

2021

NDA vs UPA: region-wise

NDA vs UPA: region-wise performance in 2021
From: Pabin Kalita , May 4, 2021: The Times of India

See graphic:

NDA vs UPA: region-wise performance in 2021

2022

BJP wins 75 of 80 boards

Kangkan Kalita, Rajib Dutta & BB Goswami, March 9, 2022: The Times of India

Guwahati/Dibrugarh/ Silchar:BJP and its ally AGP swept the Assam civic polls, winning 77 of 80 municipal boards. BJP won 75 and AGP took two, while Congress managed a single win and Independents got the majority in two municipal boards in the state’s first local body elections in which EVMs were used.


CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said BJP won 742 of the 977 wards across 80 boards, while AGP took 65. Congress won in 71 wards, others triumphed in 99. Candidates won uncontested in 57 wards. 
Congress didn’t get majority in any, but the state PCC leadership said the party would take support of two Independents to govern Narayanpur municipal board in Lakhimpur district.


Many AGP nominees, too, faced defeat at the hands of BJP in AGP bastions in upper and lower Assam districts, where a poll alliance could not be stitched between the two state-level allies. BJP also did well in districts having a sizeable population of religious minority voters.


PM Narendra Modi, BJP national president JP Nadda, home minister Amit Shah and CM Sarma congratulated the people for the landslide victory. “Gratitude to the people of Assam for blessing BJP and our allies in the recently concluded municipal elections. This shows their faith in our Party’s development agenda. I applaud our hardworking Karyakartas for their efforts and service among people,” Modi tweeted.

Sarma said the victory re- flects people’s trust in Modi’s vision of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayaas. AAP made history by registering its first victory in Assam’s civic elections—Dhiraj Singh won from ward 11 in Tinsukia. The party took another ward as well.