Guwahati, 07 April (HS): Campaign for the 16th Assam Assembly elections concluded at 5 pm on Tuesday, setting the stage for voting across all 126 constituencies on April 9. With the formal campaign period over, candidates are now limited to unofficial door-to-door outreach ahead of polling day.

Election authorities have completed preparations and polling personnel will begin moving to their respective stations on Wednesday. In remote and hilly districts such as Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong, polling teams were already dispatched in advance to ensure timely arrival at distant polling booths.

On the final day of campaign, political parties intensified their efforts, with top leaders addressing multiple rallies. Union Home Minister Amit Shah participated in three public meetings, while Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma campaigned extensively across central and upper Assam. Senior Congress leaders, including state leadership also made last-ditch efforts to mobilize voters.

The campaign witnessed a sharp escalation in rhetoric during its final phase, particularly following allegations made by Congress against the Chief Minister’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma. The controversy, along with counter-allegations, intensified the political atmosphere over the past two days.

The high-stakes election saw extensive campaigning by national leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed multiple rallies, while BJP leaders such as JP Nadda and Rajnath Singh also campaigned actively.

On the opposition side, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Mallikarjun Kharge led the party’s outreach. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also campaigned to consolidate minority votes.

A total of 722 candidates are in the fray, including 663 men and 59 women, along with 258 independent candidates. The Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded candidates in 90 constituencies, while the Indian National Congress is contesting 99 seats, among other parties.

Assam has over 2.5 crore registered voters, including more than 6.28 lakh first-time voters aged 18–19. Polling will be conducted at 31,486 stations, with extensive security arrangements in place, including deployment of around 200 companies of security forces, strict border vigil and widespread CCTV monitoring. Special provisions such as women-managed polling stations and webcasting at all booths have also been arranged.

In the 2021 Assembly elections, the BJP-led NDA secured 76 seats, while the Congress-led alliance won 49. The upcoming results will determine whether the ruling alliance retains power for a third consecutive term.-----------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash