The BJP on Friday released its first list of 70 candidates for the Assam assembly polls and announced that allies Asom Gana Parishad and United People s Party Liberal will contest on 26 and eight seats respectively. The three-phased elections for the 126-member Assam assembly will be held on March 27, April 1 and April 6. Party general secretary Arun Singh told a press conference that Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will contest from the Majuli (ST) reserved constituency and state minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from Jalukbari. The two seats are currently represented by the two top state BJP leaders in the assembly. Assam BJP chief Ranjit Dass will contest the polls from Patacharkuchi instead of Sarbhog from where he won in the last elections.
A day after snapping ties with the ruling BJP, the Bodoland People s Front (BPF) on Sunday joined the Congress-led grand alliance to fight the Assembly polls against the saffron party with the Mahagathbandhan leaders urging the other local parties to join it. The leaders of the Mahagathbandhan said on Sunday that its chief ministerial candidate would be decided in consultation with the other constituents of the alliance after the Assembly elections are over. With the joining of the BPF led by vteran tribal leader Hagrama Mohilary, the number of parties in the grand alliance rose to seven. AICC Secretary Anirudh Singh told the media that with the joining of the BPF in the Congress-led grand alliance, the aspirations of the people of Assam are about to find a voice.