The second phase of Assam election is underway. The voter turnout has reached at 63.04% percent polling till 3:30 pm in Assam where polling is underway for the phase-2 election. Around 48.26 percent voting had been recorded till 1 pm in 39 assembly constituencies. Nalbari district, with 71 percent, witnessed the highest turnout while West Karbi Anglong registered the lowest turnout at 57.24 till 3.30 pm.

Badruddin Ajmal, the president of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) cast his vote at polling station number 21 in Hojai. He said, “I am sure that Mahagathbandhan government will be formed in Assam. PM Modi and Amit Shah have said that they will send Bangladeshi infiltrators back. I want to ask them how many Bangladeshis sent back till now? I challenge them to tell if even 100 Bangladeshis have been sent back in the last 5 years. They are the ones who get them here.” He also added that AIUDF would win around 30 seats in the election.

AIUDF chief-Badruddin Ajmal, who is a perfume baron, has given green signal to the Congress’s idea of Bhumiputra as the CM, which has brought relief to the Congress wing.

Indian national congress today claimed that its Mahajot candidate from Tamulpur constituency, Rangja Basumatary of Bodoland People’s Front, is missing and it asked the ruling BJP to answer about his whereabouts.

Also Read: Assam election: Will ask for your vote, then you need to prove your citizenship

In a parallel development, Election Commission of India issued a notice to Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his alleged remark of misusing NIA against Congress candidate.

H B Sarma who has been notified by ECI, alongwith Ranjeet Kr Dass, are campaigning in Patacharkuchi.

In all, 345 candidates, including 26 women, are in the fray in this phase of Assam election. A total of 175 candidates are fighting the phase two elections from 15 seats in the three districts of Karimganj, Hailakandi, and Cachar. Algapur has the highest number of candidates at 19. The election is being held amid tight security with 310 companies of forces being deployed for the second phase. A total of 73,44,631 voters will decide the fate of 345 candidates.

Out of the 345 candidates, there are four ministers and the deputy speaker of the Assam assembly. Prominent faces from the BJP include ministers Parimal Suklabaidya from Dholai, Bhabesh Kalita from Rangia, Pijush Hazarika from Jagiroad, and Deputy Speaker Aminul Haque Laskar from Sonai. The former Deputy Speaker Dilip Kumar Paul is contesting as an Independent from Silchar after he was denied a ticket by the BJP. He had resigned from the party following the ticket row.

Assam election would take place in three phases with the last phase of voting scheduled on April 6. The vote counting will take place on May 2.