Assam: 35 candidates in fray for first phase of Lok Sabha polls on five constituencies

Guwahati (Assam) [India], March 31 (ANI): A total of 35 candidates are in fray for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in five parliamentary constituencies in Assam for which the voting will be held on April 19.
In a press statement issued by the Assam government, one candidate withdrew the nomination on Saturday in Jorhat parliamentary constituency.
"11 candidates are contesting in the Kaziranga seat, while 8 are in Sonitpur, 9 in Lakhimpur, 3 in Dibrugarh and 4 in Jorhat," the press statement issued by DIPR read.
On the other hand, for the second phase of the election, two candidates have filed their nominations in the Karimganj seat and one candidate in the Diphu seat so far.
The BJP is contesting in all five seats - Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Lakhimpur Sonitpur, Kaziranga while Congress is contesting in four seats and supporting Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) candidate Lurinjyoti Gogoi in Dibrugarh seat.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is contesting in Dibrugarh seat while BJP has fielded Pradan Baruah in Lakhimpur, Topon Kumar Gogoi in Jorhat, Kamakhya Prasad Tasa in Kaziranga and former Assam Minister Ranjit Dutta in Sonitpur seat.
On the other hand, Congress has fielded Gaurav Gogoi in Jorhat, Roselina Tirkey in Kaziranga, Uday Shankar Hazarika in Lakhimpur, Premlal Ganju in Sonitpur seat.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said that, BJP will win all five seats in the first phase by a record margin.
"Our candidates (NDA) will win in 11 seats in the state with a clear mandate, while there will be a good fight in two other seats, Nagaon and Karimganj. We are also in a position to win these two seats," Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Assam has 14 Lok Sabha seats. The polling will be held in three phases.
The polling in Kaziranga, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh and Jorhat constituencies will be held on April 19.
Nearly 96.8 crore people are eligible to cast their votes in the upcoming polls at over 12 lakh polling stations.The election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases starting April 19.The counting of votes will take place on June 4. (ANI)