Guwahati, Nov 13 (IANS) The by-election in five assembly seats in Assam was completed peacefully on Wednesday with an overall voter turnout of 72.83 per cent, officials said.
The highest voter turnout of 78.10 per cent was recorded in the Samaguri assembly seat in the state while the Sidli constituency witnessed the lowest turnout of 71.50 per cent.
The Election Commission (EC) has not announced a repoll in any constituency.
In Samaguri, some BJP supporters raised slogans against Congress MP Rakibul Hussain and a vehicle of a journalist in the Salpara area of the assembly constituency was attacked by some miscreants.
In two polling booths, Congress and BJP workers exchanged heated arguments; however, the situation was brought under control by the security forces.
The Samaguri Assembly constituency has witnessed sporadic pre-poll violence with supporters of BJP and Congress clashing with each other on several occasions during the campaign of the byelections this time.
In the previous week, suspected armed criminals opened fire on a BJP march that included Barhampur MLA Jitu Goswami, injuring at least three people.
Attackers targeted BJP politicians taking part in the march, including MLA Goswami, in the Moriputhi neighbourhood of Samaguri.
According to witnesses, the attackers first pelted stones at the participants before striking them with sticks. Three people were then hurt when unidentified persons opened fire on the group. The attack also caused some damage to Goswami’s car.
In the by-elections, the BJP and Congress are having a direct contest in three Assembly constituencies. The ruling party is fighting in three seats while its allies—Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) have given candidates in two places.
Byelections in five Assembly constituencies—Dholai, Samaguri, Behali, Bongaigaon, and Sidli became due following the elections of five legislators in the lower house of the parliament in this year’s Lok Sabha polls.
The Dholai Assembly constituency is reserved for the Scheduled Caste (SC) community and the Sidli seat is reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST).
Except in Samaguri, where Congress heavyweight Rakibul Hussain has been winning since 2001, the rest of the four seats are with the BJP-led alliance.
The BJP has given candidates in three seats—Dholai, Samaguri and Behali.
Diplu Ranjan Sarma has been given a ticket in Samaguri while Diganta Ghatowar and Nihar Ranjan Das will fight for the BJP in Behali and Dholai Assembly segments respectively.
BJP’s former cabinet minister Parimal Suklabaidya successfully contested in the Silchar Lok Sabha seat and his earlier Assembly seat Dholai was vacant. Meanwhile, another senior BJP leader Ranjit Dutta was elected to the lower house of the parliament this time. He was representing the Behali seat in the Assembly.
The BJP ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) will contest polls in the Bongaigaon assembly constituency.
United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) gave a ticket to Nirmal Kumar Brahma, who is the current district president of the party in Chirang.
–IANS
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