Assam LS polls phase 2: 20% voter turnout till now

Guwahati: Over 20 percent of nearly 3 million voters exercised their franchise during the first two hours of polling to decide the fate of 37 candidates of three Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam on Saturday, officials said.

With amid tight security polling begun at 7 am at 3698 polling stations of Karimganj (SC), Silchar and Autonomous District (ST) constituency.

Election officials of the state said that, during the first two hours, Karimganj recorded 20 percent, Silchar recorded 21 percent and 20 percent in Autonomous District.

“Polling has been going on peaceful so far, but there were reports of EVM’s malfunctioning in Karimganj, Silchar, Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao. The machines were later replaced and polling continued,” a top election official said.

Congress candidate and present Member of Parliament of Autonomous District constituency comprising Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts Biren Singh Engti cast his vote at Diphu, while BJP candidate of the constituency Jairam Engleng cast his vote at 10 no. Dalimbari Chinanodi LP School polling station under Baithalangsoo assembly constituency.

On other hand, Congress candidate of Silchar Lok Sabha constituency Sushmita Dev, BJP candidate and present MP Kabindra Purkayastha cast their vote in Silchar.

An electorate of 29,26,762 including 14,00,594 women will exercise their franchise at 3,698 polling stations for the second phase polls in Assam.

Candidates of the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist), Samajwadi Party (SP), Shiv Sena, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (Liberation) are contesting in the three seats in Karimganj (SC), Silchar and Autonomous District (ST).

Among the 37 candidates, present Member of Parliament of Karimganj (SC) constituency Kabindra Purkayastha, Krishna Das, Jairam Engleng are contesting for BJP, where present MP Lalit Mohan Suklabaidya, Biren Singh Engti, Sushmita Dev are also in fray for Congress.

In other hand, Rabindra Nath Choudhury, Bijoy Krishna Nath are contesting for AGP.