From Our Correspondent
GUWAHATI: Over 74 lakh eligible electors are expected to decide the fate of 54 candidates in the fray in the four parliamentary constituencies of Guwahati, Barpeta, Dhubri and Kokrajhar in Assam where election will be held in the third phase of Lok Sabha election on Tuesday.
The exact figures of total voters in these four constituencies is 74,77,062, of which 38,15,335 are male, 36,61,570 are female and 157 belong to the third gender.
Of the total 54 candidates in the fray in the four constituencies of Assam going to the polls in the third phase, 17 candidates are in fray in Guwahati, 15 in Dhubri, 13 in Barpeta, and nine in Kokrajhar.
Polling will be held across 9,577 polling stations in the four Lok Sabha seats comprising total 40 Legislative Assembly Constituency (LAC) segments.
In the last parliamentary elections held in 2014, the BJP had emerged victorious from Guwahati and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) had won from Barpeta and Dhubri, while the Kokrajhar seat had gone to an Independent candidate.
This election is expected to witness a keen contest in Guwahati constituency is expected to be between the ruling BJP and its arch rival Congress.
Both Dhubri and Barpeta constituencies are likely to witness three-cornered contests between the Congress, the AIUDF and the AGP, the alliance partner of the BJP..
A triangular contest between sitting Independent MP Naba Kumar Sarania and the candidates of the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), Promila Rani Brahma and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), U G Brahma is expected in the Kokrajhar constituency.
The AIUDF and the UPPL have entered into a “political understanding” for the Dhubri, Barpeta and Kokrajhar constituencies. The AIUDF is supporting the UPPL candidates in Kokrajhar, the UPPL has extended support to the AIUDF in Dhubri and Barpeta.
Altogether 200 companies of security forces, both central and state, have been deployed, along with a minimum of one constable in every polling station, police said.
Patrolling along the Indo-Bangla border in Dhubri constituency, borders with neighbouring states, railway stations and other sensitive areas have been intensified, while strict monitoring of social media and cyber-related crimes is being done at the district level, police said.
Beside buses, the polling personnel are using boats to reach inaccessible areas on the river banks along with bullock carts, officials said. District election officers have also made special arrangements for people with disabilities and senior citizens, particularly those above the age of 80, police said.
There are 147 all-women polling stations in the four constituencies, with Gauhati having the highest of 79 booths.
There are a total of 125 model stations in the four seats. (With inputs from PTI)