GUWAHATI: The focus will be on the Bengali-dominated Barak Valley when 39 constituencies go to the polls in the second phase of the Assam elections on Thursday.
The BJP and its ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) had won 24 of these seats in the last polls. The Barak Valley has 15 seats and eight of these are currently held by the BJP. The Congress had won three and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) four in 2016.
The Brahmaputra and the Barak Valleys are divided on the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). The Brahmaputra Valley is opposed to the CAA but the Barak Valley favours it.
The BJP has remained silent on the issue during electioneering, ostensibly to not ruffle the feathers of the Assamese voters in the Brahmaputra Valley. In contrast, the Congress has adopted an anti-CAA stance. It has promised to nullify the law, if voted to power. The AIUDF, which is a Congress ally, is also opposed to it.
The BJP, however, faces tough contests in the Barak Valley after it denied tickets to three sitting MLAs and other aspirants. One of the MLAs is contesting as an Independent. Also, the poll alignment between the Congress and the AIUDF has ostensibly made the BJP’s task difficult.
All the five seats in the three hill districts of Dima Hasao, Karbi Anglong and Western Karbi Anglong are going to the polls on Thursday and the BJP is hoping to retain them.
The 19 other seats are spread across Central and parts of Northern and Western Assam. The BJP and the AGP had won 12 of them in the last elections. The BJP’s estranged ally Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) had won four seats. After ditching the BPF, the BJP aligned with the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL). The BPF is likely to throw up a tough challenge to the UPPL.
The first phase of the polls was held in 47 seats on March 27. It had recorded a voter turnout of 79.97%.