Race for Assam: High Stakes Assembly Elections Unfold

The Assam assembly elections see a 59.63% voter turnout by 1 pm. The BJP-led NDA aims for a third term, while Congress seeks a comeback. The elections involve 722 candidates with major parties like BJP, Congress, and others in collision. Prominent leaders have already cast their votes.

In Assam's high-stakes assembly elections, voter turnout reached 59.63% by 1 pm on Thursday, as the BJP-led NDA and the Congress vie for control. Battling against inclement weather, 2.5 crore voters were seen at polling booths after voting commenced at 7 am.

This election, the first since the 2023 delimitation exercise, features a robust contest between 722 candidates across various political parties. Significant attention is paid to districts like Dudhnoi and Dibrugarh, which recorded the highest and lowest turnouts, respectively. Notably, the incumbent Chief Minister and several other key political figures have already exercised their votes.

While voting is generally proceeding without any major interruptions, sporadic clashes have occurred in areas like Tamulpur and Sivasagar, mostly due to high voter turnout and queue disruptions. Police presence has ensured these incidents were promptly controlled, maintaining the integrity of the polling process.

(With inputs from agencies.)