"BJP will win lots of seats...no strong opposition": Assam Minister expresses confidence in BJP winning panchayat polls

Guwahati (Assam) [India], April 21 (ANI): Assam Minister Pijush Hazarika on Monday expressed confidence in the Bharatiya Janata Party winning the upcoming Panchayat polls, pointing out that there is "no strong opposition" in the state, with Congress being "decimated."
"I think the BJP will win more and more seats. People will vote for Narendra Modi, Himanta Biswa Sarma and the BJP. I am very confident that we will come back with an absolute majority," Pijush Hazarika told ANI.
The state minister's comments come a few days after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa shared that the BJP has already secured 37 Zila Parishad (35 BJP and 2 AGP) and 288 Anchalik Panchayat (259 BJP and 29 AGP) seats unopposed.
Minister Hazarika attacked Congress, saying that the party has been "decimated," with it being strong only in certain areas.
"There is no strong opposition in Assam. Congress has been decimated; they are strong in some pockets only, so I don't think Assam's people will vote for Congress," he said.
When asked why people would vote for the BJP instead, he said that the party has undertaken significant development in the state.
"The BJP has done a lot of things for the country and in the state. Roads are a lot better, 1.5 lakh jobs were distributed, not a single allegation of corruption can be put," he said.
On April 18, CM Sarma highlighted in a post on X, "The NDA has already secured 37 Zila Parishad (35 BJP and 2 AGP) and 288 Anchalik Panchayat (259 BJP and 29 AGP) seats unopposed. This is a massive and unprecedented mandate in Assam's political history."
"We are confident that when the final election results are declared, this tally will grow even more impressive. The NDA is all set to sweep the Panchayat elections in Assam," he added.
Congress has also released its manifesto for the upcoming elections, unveiled by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah and senior party leader and former MP Ripun Bora during a programme held at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati.
The State Election Commission said that there are 21920 Gaon Panchayat members, 2192 Gram Panchayat Presidents, 2192 Gram Panchayat Vice Presidents, 2192 Anchalik Panchayat members, 181 Anchalik Panchayat Presidents, 181 Anchalik Panchayat Vice Presidents and 397 Zilla Parishad members.
The panchayat polls in Assam will be held in two phases on May 2 and May 7. The counting of votes will be held on May 11. More than 1.80 crore voters, including 90.71 lakh male voters, 89.65 lakh female voters and 408 other voters, will exercise their franchise in 25007 polling stations. (ANI)