BJP-led NDA scores hat-trick in Assam, bags 102 seats

In the Opposition camp, the Congress, which contested 99 seats, won 19 constituencies, while the Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF and Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal secured two seats each, and the Trinamool Congress bagged one constituency.

The ruling National Democratic Alliance is set to form the government in Assam for the third consecutive term after securing a two-thirds majority, with a record high of 102 seats in the 126-member assembly, while the Congress-led Opposition delivered its worst performance in recent times on Monday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which contested 90 seats, won 82, while its allies -- the Bodoland People's Front (BPF), which contested 11 seats, and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which fought in 26 seats -- bagged 10 constituencies each.

The saffron party secured a majority on its own for the first time in the state.

It had won 60 seats in the previous two polls in 2021 and 2016.

Gaurav Gogoi Loses

In the Opposition camp, the Congress, which contested 99 seats, won 19 constituencies, while the Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front and Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal secured two seats each, and the Trinamool Congress bagged one constituency.

Raijor Dal, an opposition alliance partner, had contested 13 seats, while the other parties in the camp -- Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), Communist Party of India-Marxist and All Party Hill Leaders Conference -- drew a blank.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma won the Jalukbari constituency for the sixth consecutive term, defeating Congress candidate Bidisha Neog by 89,434 votes.

In a major blow to the Congress, its state president Gaurav Gogoi lost in Jorhat to veteran politician and sitting BJP MLA Hitendranath Goswami by 23,181 votes.

Among the prominent BJP winners are ministers Ajanta Neog (Golaghat), Ranoj Pegu (Dhemaji), Pijush Hazarika (Jagiroad), Ashok Singhal (Dhekiajuli), Kaushik Rai (Lakhipur), Prashanta Phukan (Dibrugarh), Krishnendu Paul (Patharkandi) and Bimal Borah (Tingkhong).

Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary won from Tamulpur constituency by defeating former Bodoland Territorial Council chief Pramod Boro of the United People's Party Liberal.

Sitting BJP MLAs Mrinal Saikia (Khumtai), Bhuban Pegu (Jonai), Rama Kanta Dewri (Morigaon), Rupak Sarmah (Nagaon-Batadraba), Paramanda Rajbongshi (Sipajhar), Utpal Borah (Gohpur), Biswajit Phukan (Sarupathar), Binod Hazarika (Chabua-Lahowal), Taranga Gogoi (Naharkatia), Bhaskar Sharma (Margherita), Rupjyoti Kurmi (Mariani) and Bhuban Gam (Majuli) also emerged victorious.

AGP ministers Atul Bora and Keshav Mahanta retained their Bokakhat and Kaliabor constituencies, respectively, while first-timer Tapan Das won the Dimoria seat.

Allies Hold Ground

Among the BPF candidates, cabinet minister Charan Boro retained his Mazbat constituency while the others who won are Maneswar Brahma (Baksa), Paniram Brahma (Sidli-Chirang), Thaneswar Basumatary (Manas), Rihon Daimary (Udalguri) and BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary's wife Sewli Mohilary from Kokrajhar.

Prominent Congress candidates who won the polls are sitting MLAs Wajed Ali Choudhury (Birsing Jarua), Jakir Hussain Sikdar (Pakabetbari), Rekibuddin Ahmed (Chamaria) and Nurul Huda (Rupahihat). Other winners from the party include Aminul Haque Laskar (Sonai), Joy Prakash Das (Nowboicha), Tanzil Hussain (Samaguri), Asif Mohammad Nazar (Laharighat) and Aftabuddin Mollah (Jaleswar).

All India United Democratic Front chief Badruddin Ajmal won from Binnakandi and his party member Mazibur Rahman from Dalgaon.

Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi retained the Sibsagar seat, while another party member Mehboob Muktar won the Dhing seat and Trinamool Congress' Sherman Ali Ahmed won from Mandia.

Among the prominent candidates who lost the polls are Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing assembly, Debabrata Saikia, Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Saikia, and former Rajya Sabha MP and senior Congress leader Ripun Bora.

Among the 59 women who contested the polls, only six could manage to win, with four from the BJP, and one each from its allies AGP and BPF, while only one won from Congress.

Polling in all 126 assembly constituencies in the state was held in a single phase on April 9 with 722 candidates in fray.