GUWAHATI: The BJP-led alliance swept the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) election, the results of which were declared on Sunday. The alliance bagged 58 of the 60 wards — BJP 52 (three unopposed) and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) six. One ward each went to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Asom Jatiya Parishad.
A beleaguered Congress, fighting for survival, drew a blank. The polls were held after a gap of nine years.
PM Narendra Modi thanked the city residents. “Thank you Guwahati! The people of this lovely city have given a resounding mandate to @BJP4Assam to build on the agenda of development. They have also blessed the hard work of the state government under CM @himantabiswa,” he tweeted.
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma was effusive in his praise of the voters for giving the BJP alliance a massive victory. The BJP’s success could be gauged from the fact that it won 52 of the 53 wards it contested. Also, the AGP managed to win six of the seven wards where it fielded candidates.
That the Congress, which is the state’s principal opposition party, will not fare well was not really a surprise. But that it would be totally decimated, was not expected. The AAP went to the polls with all guns blazing as it attempted to make inroads into the state by capitalising on a weakened Congress but ended up winning a solitary ward. The party was so upbeat about its poll prospects that it had contested 39 wards.