Guwahati: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has marked a landslide victory in the recently concluded civic polls winning 75 civic bodies (out of 80 where elections were held) across Assam. For the first time in municipal board elections of the State, electronic voting machines (EVMs) were used and the electoral process concluded peacefully with over 70% turnout.
Altogether 2,532 candidates were in the fray who tried their luck in 977 wards across 24 districts of the State with 16,73,899 eligible voters (8.32 lakh men, 8.41 lakh women, 17 transgenders) for rural body polls. The BJP nominated 825 candidates, followed by the Congress (706), Asom Gana Parishad (243), CPM (14), etc. In over 55 wards, the candidates (mostly BJP nominees) were declared unopposed.
The principal opposition party (Congress) has to satisfy with only one civic body across the State, where as a large number of independent candidates achieved success in the electoral exercises. If the saffron party nominees begged 742 wards (its ally AGP on in 65 wards and also won 2 civic bodies), the Congress won only in 71 units. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while congratulating all candidates, termed it a mandate for the growth and development policies of the saffron party.
Assam BJP marks landslide victory in civic polls
