Assam vote count starts
May 13th, 2011 - 9:45 am ICT by IANS
Guwahati, May 13 (IANS) Counting of votes began Friday for assembly elections held in Assam, with the Congress confident of retaining power and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) determined to oust it.
The vote count started at 8 a.m. to pick 126 legislators from among 986 candidates in the fray.
An estimated 76 percent of Assam’s nearly 18 million voters exercised their franchise April 4 and 11.
Although no party has emerged as the frontrunner, the Congress is widely seen as having a slight edge.
The opposition in Assam is fractured. The AGP, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) fought the battle separately.
The Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) with 11 legislators in the outgoing assembly has a pre-poll alliance with the Congress.
“We are confident of coming back to power for the third straight term,” Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told IANS.
The opposition, too, is optimistic that this election would help bring in change.
“People of Assam voted for change and we are confident of winning,” AGP’s Chandra Mohan Patowary said.
In 2006, the Congress won 53 seats, the AGP 24, and the BJP and AUDF 10 each.
- Congress, opposition confident of winning in Assam - May 12, 2011
- We will form Assam government, say both Congress, opposition - May 10, 2011
- Assam elections end, over 70 percent voting (Roundup) - Apr 11, 2011
- Assam opposition's grand alliance plans floundering? - Mar 11, 2011
- Congress' sole ally in Assam threatens to quit - Apr 07, 2011
- Congress achieves a hat-trick in Assam (Lead) - May 13, 2011
- AGP blames machine manipulation for defeat - May 13, 2011
- Congress wins absolute majority in Assam (Second Lead) - May 13, 2011
- I am the best chief minister of Assam: Tarun Gogoi - Apr 12, 2011
- Congress set for third straight term in Assam - May 13, 2011
- Congress celebrates Assam victory - May 13, 2011
- Assam polls: Congress, ally in 'friendly contest' - Nov 29, 2010
- Assam polls: Congress, AGP vie for AUDF support - Dec 26, 2010
- Congress juggernaut decimates AGP, BJP in Assam (Roundup) - May 13, 2011
- A fractured opposition in Assam - Oct 20, 2010
Tags: april 4, assam, assembly elections, bharatiya janata party, bjp, bpf, chandra mohan, chief minister, congress, franchise, frontrunner, gogoi, legislators, opposition, poll alliance, s chandra, tarun, vote count