The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday sealed a landslide victory in Assam local body elections by bagging as many as 73 civic bodies of a total of 80, according to results declared by the State Election Commission (SEC). The Congress party, which is the primary opposition in the northeastern state, has failed to win a single civic body so far.
The result for one civic body is yet to be released.
The state election commission said independent candidates emerged victorious in seven of 10 wards while the other three were won by the saffron camp. Of 977 wards, the BJP has won in 672 so far, while the grand old party has bagged 71. Other parties have won in 149 wards.
The election commission further stated that poll results gave five hung municipal boards. Overall, as many as 57 wards have been won uncontested.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted to say the results are a “reiteration” of the state's “unwavering faith in commitment” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“We're humbled by unflinching faith of people in us, and their abundant blessings,” Sarma wrote in another tweet.
Former chief minister and current union minister Sarbananda Sonowal also expressed his gratitude to Modi for the local body poll results. Commending the “unstoppable victory march of BJP”, he said the results show “continued trust of the people in development initiatives” of the prime minister.
{{/usCountry}}Former chief minister and current union minister Sarbananda Sonowal also expressed his gratitude to Modi for the local body poll results. Commending the “unstoppable victory march of BJP”, he said the results show “continued trust of the people in development initiatives” of the prime minister.
{{/usCountry}}Congress' Assam chief Bhupen Kumar Borah said “rise and fall” in politics is a continuous process and that all parties need to have “good times and bad times”.
“You have to work hard for a good time and wait patiently!! We have accepted responsibility for the results of the municipal elections!!” his post on the micro-blogging site roughly translated from Assamese read.
Polling for the 80 municipal wards in Assam took place on March 6 via electronic voting machines (EVMs) - the first time in the history of civic elections in the northeastern state. Approximately 70 per cent voter turnout was registered on polling day.
(With inputs from PTI)