Guwahati, 30 March (HS): Intermittent rainfall over the past several days has begun to affect election campaigning for the upcoming Assembly polls in Assam, slowing down the momentum of political parties across the state.

Continuous rainfall has disrupted public meetings, rallies, and door-to-door outreach programmes, forcing parties to either postpone events or scale them down. Despite the adverse weather, several senior leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president Nitin Navin, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan like leaders have already addressed multiple rallies in the state.

Polling officials, meanwhile, are continuing their duties by carrying postal ballots and reaching voters door-to-door despite the challenging weather conditions, ensuring that the electoral process remains on track.

Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma’s rallies are still drawing large crowds, with significant public participation being witnessed daily despite the rain. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi is also actively holding election meetings across various constituencies.

The Assembly elections in Assam are scheduled to be held on April 9. Major political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), have intensified their campaign efforts. However, inclement weather has led to the cancellation or postponement of several programmes, while attendance at some rallies has been lower than expected.

Political leaders stated that they are increasingly relying on digital platforms and smaller group interactions to maintain campaign outreach. Party workers have also been instructed to adapt their strategies in response to the prevailing weather conditions.

Political analysts believe that if the rainfall continues, it could potentially impact voter turnout. For now, all parties remain focused on finalising their preparations amid the ongoing weather challenges.--------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash