General Elections: Campaigning Ends, Stage Set For First Phase Polls In State

GUWAHATI: The stage is now set for the first-phase general elections in Assam as the high profile campaigning for the phase came to an end at 5 pm on Tuesday across five constituencies across the State. During the day though inclement weather put up some hurdles, quite a few rallies and road shows were held at several places in upper Assam. However, the rallies of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had to be cancelled as the choppers meant for campaigning could not be used due to bad weather. The five Parliamentary constituencies which would go for polls from 7 am to 5 pm on April 11 are Kaliabor, Tezpur, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, and Jorhat.

Among those who had carried out campaigning during the day included Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP MLA Jogen Mohan, and star campaigner for Congress and Bollywood artiste Nagma Morarji who is also the general secretary of the All India Mahila Congress.

In Biswanath, Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma campaigned for BJP candidate Pallab Lochan Das contesting from Tezpur, and at Samaguri for the AGP candidate from Kaliabor seat, Moni Madhab Mahanta. Participating in a rally, Minister Sarma said, “Many important projects including the Bogibeel Bridge remained incomplete during the Congress regime in Assam. However, during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, these projects got completed.”

Seeking votes for Narendra Modi once again, Sarma further said, “The Congress never thought of according the right honour to Dr Bhupen Hazarika. But, the BJP government has rightfully honoured the global icon with the Bharat Ratna.”

BJP MLA Jogen Mohan carried out a large election rally on an e-rickshaw for BJP candidate from Jorhat, Topon Kumar Gogoi at Mahmara.

On the other hand, Bollywood artiste Nagma Morarji campaigning for Gaurav Gogoi of the Congress for the Kaliabor seat said, “The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is against the Assamese people.”

Meanwhile, 56 polling officials along with 28 security personnel and polling equipment proceeded to the 14 remote polling stations in Majuli from the DC’s office at Garmur.

Among the star campaigners during the first phase polls in Assam included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Amit Shah, and also Congress president Rahul Gandhi. On the other hand, campaigning for the second and the third phases are continuing across the State.

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