From Our Special Correspondent
GUWAHATI: BJP has taken a comfortable lead ahead of Congress and AGP in the panchayat polls in Assam, according to the results announced till Wednesday evening by the Assam State Election Commission.
According to the commission, out of the1089 gaon panchayat wards, BJP has won in 481 gaon panchayat wards followed by Congress in 294 and AGP in 115 GP wards.
“We have got results from 19 election districts (subdivisions) where elections were held, and till 5pm, out of 71 seats for Gaon Panchayat president and 58 seats for Anchalik Panchayat member, BJP has won 33 in GP and 30 AP respectively,” state election commissioner, H.N Bora, told reporters on Wednesday evening.
“Congress has won in 20, AGP 10, AIUDF 2 and Independents 6 as far as seats for GP president is concerned.
The trend is similar in regard to seats for Anchalik Parishad member, with Congress getting 15, AGP 8, AIUDF 2 and Independents 3,” he said.
“The Zila Parishad results have not been declared and we will only get the outcome after five six rounds,” Bora said.
He further said that according to information collected from 10 to 15 districts, there has been no anomaly report from any counting hall. “Yes, some places have witnessed some crowds with people gathering but the process by and large has been peaceful till now,” Bora said. The state election commissioner further said that the counting process in regard to panchayat polls normally takes time because of the greater number of candidates.
The polling percentage in the first phase was 80.77 while it was 82.70 in the second phase. “Excluding repoll, the overall percentage in the panchayat polls was 82 per cent,” Bora said.
Analysts here say that the trend in panchayat polls of the past suggest that the ruling party invariably prevails.
Sources said that in 2013, Congress, which was the ruling party in the state then, had secured a winning share of 60.56 per cent followed by AGP at 7.5 per cent and BJP at 4.7 per cent.
In contrast, in 2018, BJP was well placed with a share of 49.06 per cent, Congress at 27.05 per cent and AGP at 13.04 per cent, sources said.