Ruling BJP set to retain Assam’s Majuli seat

Congress, which won the seat thrice between 2001 and 2011, left it for the AJP, a newly formed regional party

Updated on: Mar 10, 2022, 13:12:45 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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GUWAHATI: Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looked set to retain the Majuli assembly seat in Assam, where by-poll was held last week. Sarbananda Sonowal represented the seat before he became a Union minister last year and Himanta Biswa Sarma succeeded him as the chief minister of Assam.

Sarbananda Sonowal held the seat before he became a Union minister last year. (PTI)

After three rounds of counting, BJP’s Bhuban Gam was leading with 13,512 votes in Majuli. His nearest rival, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP)’s Chittaranjan Basumatary, had secured 4,487 and Independent candidate Bhaity Richong 333 votes.

Congress, which won the seat thrice between 2001 and 2011, left it for the AJP. AJP is a newly formed regional party, which failed to win any seat in last year’s assembly polls in the state.

The BJP, which swept back to power in the state for the second time last summer, and its ally United People’s Party Liberal won all five seats for which by-polls were held in November.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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