Polling is underway in five Assembly seats in Assam where bye-elections are being held on Wednesday.
These five Assembly constituencies -- Dholai, Samaguri, Behali, Bongaigaon and Sidli fell vacant following the election of five legislators in the Lower House of Parliament in this year’s Lok Sabha polls.
The Dholai Assembly constituency is reserved for the Scheduled Caste (SC) community and Sidli seat is reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST).
Except in Samaguri, where Congress heavyweight Rakibul Hussain has been winning since 2001, the rest of the four seats are with the BJP-led alliance.
The BJP has given candidates in three seats — Dholai, Samaguri and Behali.
Diplu Ranjan Sarma was given a ticket in Samaguri while Diganta Ghatowar and Nihar Ranjan Das are fighting for the BJP in Behali and Dholai Assembly segments respectively.
The BJP’s former cabinet minister Parimal Suklabaidya successfully contested in the Silchar Lok Sabha seat and his earlier Assembly seat Dholai fell vacant.
Another senior BJP leader Ranjit Dutta was elected to the Lower House of Parliament this time.
He was representing the Behali seat in the Assembly.
Congress leader Rakibul Hussain defeated the three-time AIUDF MP and party chief Badruddin Ajmal in the Dhubri Lok Sabha seat with a margin of more than 10 lakh votes reinforcing his status as a five-time legislator from Samuguri Assembly seat.
The ally of the BJP — Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) is contesting polls in the Bongaigaon Assembly constituency while United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) gave a ticket to Nirmal Kumar Brahma in the Sidli seat, who is the current district president of the party in Chirang.
Meanwhile, CM Sarma said, “We will comfortably win four seats and there is contest on one seat. However, there are possibilities that the BJP and our allies can win all five Assembly seats in the bye-elections.”
The Chief Minister asserted that the people have been connected with the ruling party and they are happy with the government’s performance.
The Samaguri Assembly constituency has witnessed sporadic pre-poll violence with supporters of BJP and Congress clashing with each other on several occasions.
Sri Lankan Navy arrests 32 Tamil fishermen, five boats seized
The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 32 fishermen from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and fishing in Lankan waters.
Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi hails ISRO's century in rocket launches, urges people to dedicate a day for science
Addressing the 119th episode of his monthly radio programme, 'Mann Ki Baat', on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Indian Space Research Organisation, saying it has hit the century in space. Last month, the country witnessed the ISRO's 100th rocket launch.
Mizoram student stabbed to death in Kerala, batchmate arrested
A 22-year-old BTech student from Mizoram was stabbed to death near his college in Thiruvananthapuram. The deceased, Valentine, was a student at Rajadhani Institute of Engineering & Technology, Nagaroor.
Italy PM slams Left's double standards, says when Trump, Meloni, Modi talk, they are called threat to democracy
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has accused left-wing politicians of being "nervous" over former US President Donald Trump's victory, claiming that conservatives are unfairly labelled as a "threat to democracy" while leftist leaders are celebrated for similar global alliances.
NDRF intensifies rescue operation to save 8 trapped in Telangana tunnel
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams on Sunday intensified rescue efforts to save eight persons trapped in an under-construction tunnel after a portion of its roof collapsed in Telangana’s Nagarkurnool district on February 22.
Israel delays Palestinian prisoner release after 'humiliating' hostage handovers
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday that the release of Palestinian prisoners would be delayed until Hamas ceases its "humiliating ceremonies" during the release of Israeli hostages under the ceasefire deal.
PM Modi on 3-day visit to MP, Bihar, Assam from today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Assam from February 23 to 25 to participate in several developmental projects and inaugurate business summits.
US senators call out China for 'weaponising' UN 1971 resolution, vow support to Taiwan
The United States Senators accused China of subverting United Nations Resolution 2758 in an attempt to isolate Taiwan. The senators proposed a resolution in the Senate reaffirming US support for Taiwan. The resolution opposes China's attempt to prevent Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organisations.