(Photo: ANI)
NEW DELHI: Voting for the high-stakes 126-member Assam assembly elections will be held on Thursday, April 9, with most constituencies set to witness a direct contest between the BJP-led NDA and the opposition alliance led by the Indian National Congress.The Bharatiya Janata Party is aiming for a third consecutive term in power, while the Congress is seeking to regain control of the state it lost in 2016.Polling will take place from 7 am to 5 pm across 31,490 polling stations spread over 35 districts. A total of around 2.50 crore voters are eligible to cast their ballots, including 1.25 crore women and 318 voters from the third gender.With this election being the first state assembly polls after the 2023 delimitation exercise, across 126 constituencies, the redrawn boundaries have reshaped the state’s political landscape, particularly for the Muslim voters of Bangladesh origin, whose decisive influence has shrunk from 31 to 22 seats.Here are the list of constituencies going to vote on April 9:
| PC No. | Parliamentary Constituency | Assembly Constituencies |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kokrajhar (ST) | 1 Gossaigaon; 2 Dotma (ST); 3 Kokrajhar (ST); 4 Baokhungri; 5 Parbatjhora; 19 Sidli Chirang (ST); 20 Bijni; 41 Manas; 42 Baksa (ST) |
| 2 | Dhubri | 6 Golakganj; 7 Gauripur; 8 Dhubri; 9 Birsing-Jarua; 10 Bilasipara; 11 Mankachar; 12 Jaleswar; 14 Goalpara East; 17 Srijangram; 22 Mandia; 23 Chenga |
| 3 | Barpeta | 16 Abhayapuri; 18 Bongaigaon; 21 Bhawanipur-Sorbhog; 24 Barpeta (SC); 25 Pakabetbari; 26 Bajali; 30 Hajo-Sualkuchi (SC); 38 Barkhetri; 39 Nalbari; 40 Tihu |
| 4 | Darrang–Udalguri | 31 Rangia; 32 Kamalpur; 43 Tamulpur (ST); 44 Goreswar; 45 Bhergaon; 46 Udalguri (ST); 47 Mazbat; 48 Tangla; 49 Sipajhar; 50 Mangaldai; 51 Dalgaon |
| 5 | Guwahati | 13 Goalpara West (ST); 15 Dudhnoi (ST); 27 Chamaria; 28 Boko-Chaygaon (ST); 29 Palasbari; 33 Dispur; 34 Dimoria (SC); 35 New Guwahati; 36 Guwahati Central; 37 Jalukbari |
| 6 | Diphu (ST) | 108 Bokajan (ST); 109 Howraghat (ST); 110 Diphu (ST); 111 Rongkhang (ST); 112 Amri (ST); 113 Haflong (ST) |
| 7 | Karimganj | 121 Hailakandi; 122 Algapur-Katlicherra; 123 Karimganj North; 124 Karimganj South; 125 Patharkandi; 126 Ram Krishna Nagar (SC) |
| 8 | Silchar (SC) | 114 Lakhipur; 115 Udharbond; 116 Katigorah; 117 Borkhola; 118 Silchar; 119 Sonai; 120 Dholai (SC) |
| 9 | Nagaon | 52 Jagiroad (SC); 53 Laharighat; 54 Morigaon; 55 Dhing; 56 Rupahihat; 58 Samaguri; 60 Nagaon-Batadraba; 61 Raha (SC) |
| 10 | Kaziranga | 57 Kaliabor; 59 Barhampur; 62 Binnakandi; 63 Hojai; 64 Lumding; 103 Golaghat; 104 Dergaon; 105 Bokakhat; 106 Khumtai; 107 Sarupathar |
| 11 | Sonitpur | 65 Dhekiajuli; 66 Barchalla; 67 Tezpur; 68 Rangapara; 69 Naduar; 70 Biswanath; 71 Behali (SC); 72 Gohpur; 73 Bihpuria |
| 12 | Lakhimpur | 74 Rongonadi; 75 Nowboicha (SC); 76 Lakhimpur; 77 Dhakuakhana (ST); 78 Dhemaji (ST); 79 Sissiborgaon; 80 Jonai (ST); 81 Sadiya; 82 Doom Dooma |
| 13 | Dibrugarh | 83 Margherita; 84 Digboi; 85 Makum; 86 Tinsukia; 87 Chabua-Lahowal; 88 Dibrugarh; 89 Khowang; 90 Duliajan; 91 Tingkhong; 92 Naharkatia |
| 14 | Jorhat | 93 Sonari; 94 Mahmora; 95 Demow; 96 Sibsagar; 97 Nazira; 98 Majuli (ST); 99 Teok; 100 Jorhat; 101 Mariani; 102 Titabor |
Among political parties, the Congress has fielded the highest number of candidates at 99, followed by the BJP with 90. The All India United Democratic Front has put up 30 candidates, while NDA allies Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People’s Front are contesting 26 and 11 seats, respectively.Within the opposition bloc, Raijor Dal is contesting 13 seats, Assam Jatiya Parishad 10, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) 3, and the All Party Hill Leaders Conference 2 seats. Other parties in the fray include the Aam Aadmi Party (18 seats), United People’s Party Liberal (18), All India Trinamool Congress (22), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (16), along with 258 independent candidates.The electorate includes 6.42 lakh first-time voters, 2.50 lakh voters aged 80, and above including 2,466 centenarians and 2.05 lakh persons with disabilities, reflecting the scale and diversity of the democratic exercise.
