BJP set for forming maximum Zila Parishad seats in Assam

Congress seems to have accrued some benefits of the strain BJP-AGP relationship

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: On the third day of the counting of panchayat poll votes on Friday, the BJP continues to be the leader with the Congress trailing, but not far behind. The counting is still going on in some districts, besides repoll is set for two polling stations on Saturday. It seems that the Congress has accrued some benefits from the strain BJP-AGP relationship.

Talking to the media, State Election Commissioner (SEC) HN Bora said: “Counting is still going on. Till 5 pm today, we’ve declared results of 347 of the 420 zila parishad seats. While the AGP has got 15 zila parishad seats, the BJP has got 181 seats, the Congress has got 122 seats, the AIUDF has got 15 and independent candidates have got 14 seats.”

The difference between the BJP and the Congress till 5 pm on Friday is 59 seats.

Bora further said: “We’ve received results of 28 districts and subdivisions. In some districts and subdivisions the counting has been over, but their results have not been received as yet. In Cachar and Dhubri districts counting is still going on. The counting may be over by mid-night. There will be repoll in two polling stations – one each in Hailakandi and Gohpur – on Saturday. This is a mega election, so is the counting. We thank all people, political parties and officials for the peaceful poll and the counting process. The police personnel have also provided the right security.”

According to the latest information, even as the AGP and the BJP fought the rural poll on their own, they are not in a position for form zila parishads in Bongaigaon, Sivasagar and Nagaon if they do not go for a post-poll alliance.

Meanwhile, the BJP is set to form zila parishad on its own in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Charaideo, Kamrup(M), Kamrup, Nalbari, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Dhemaji, Majuli and Cachar districts. The Congress, on the other hand, is set to form zila parishads on its own in Jorhat, Morigaon, Barpeta, Dhubri and Karimganj districts. The AIUDF is going to form the zila parisahd in Hailakandi district.

According to the latest information received, the AGP has won two zila parishad seats in former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta’s Barhampur Assembly segment in Nagaon district.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal thanked the people of Assam for taking part in the panchayat election in large numbers and voting for development and good governance.

In a press release Sonowal said that the people living in the Barak to Brahmaputra valleys, plains and hills of Assam spontaneously took part in the panchayat elections and results showed that the people have reposed their faith on the good governance of both the Central and State governments.

Congratulating the winners in this election, he urged the victorious candidates to strengthen the Panchayati Raj system by delivering public services in a clean and transparent manner. Similarly, the public representatives at panchayat level must work for strengthening the bond of unity and brotherhood at the grassroots level of the society as well, he stated.

Also read: BJP cleans AGP in Sonitpur district panchayat polls