Polling for 296 assembly seats in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry begins
What's the story
Polling for 126 Assembly seats in Assam, 140 in Kerala, and 30 in Puducherry began at 7:00am on Thursday. In Assam, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is looking to secure a third consecutive term while the Congress-led opposition coalition hopes to return to power after being ousted in 2016. A total of 722 candidates, including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi, and AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi, are in the fray.
Candidate lineup
Key candidates in fray
Other key candidates include state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia and AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal. The Congress has fielded the most candidates with 99, followed by BJP with 90. Other parties include the AAP (18), TMC (22), JMM (16) and 258 Independents. A total of 2.50 crore persons, including 1.25 crore women and 318 of the third gender, are eligible to vote.
Electoral landscape
Voters include over 6.5 lakh 1st-timers, senior citizens
The key battlegrounds to watch out for include the Jalukbari constituency, where Sarma is seeking a sixth term. In Jorhat, Gaurav Gogoi faces off against BJP's Hitendranath Goswami, who has held the seat since 2016. Dispur will see a contest between former Congress leader Pradyut Bordoloi (BJP) and former BJP member Jayant Kumar Das (Independent). Das was expelled from the BJP for six years.
Kerala
Kerala to elect 16th legislative assembly
Voting in Kerala is also being held in a single phase for all 140 constituencies across the state to elect its 16th legislative assembly. The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in office. The elections are particularly important for the Left Front, which is only in power in Kerala after losing ground in Tripura and West Bengal. The BJP, which has been gaining vote share in the state, is similarly optimistic about its chances.
Candidates
Top contenders in Kerala polls
Among the top candidates is chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is running for his third term in the assembly from the Dharmadam constituency. Leader of Opposition in Kerala assembly V D Satheesan is also in the race. He is contesting the Paravur constituency, a seat he has won since 2001. BJP leader and former Union Minister Chandrasekhar is contesting from the Nemom seat in Thiruvananthapuram while veteran communist leader KK Shailaja is contesting from the Peravoor constituency in Kannur district.
Puducherry
Puducherry elections
Like the other two states, Puducherry is also holding elections in a single phase. In Puducherry, the battle is between the NDA, which includes the NR Congress and the BJP, and the Congress-DMK alliance. Actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has allied with smaller parties to position itself as a third force. Closely watched constituency is Thattanchavady, where incumbent Chief Minister N Rangasamy is locked in a direct contest with former Chief Minister MP V Vaithilingam of the Congress.