Fear of violence has been the predominant factor in earlier elections in Assam for the past two decades.
But the 2006 assembly polls will stand out for the absence of militant-sponsored violence in the state.
Elections -- whether the assembly or the Lok Sabha -- has been marked by poll boycott call by the terrorist outfits operating in the state, particularly by the ULFA and the NDFB.
During the 2001 assembly elections, the banned ULFA targeted AGP and BJP workers killing 37 people, including a BJP candidate from Dibrugarh.
Hundreds were injured. Among them being an AGP candidate from Barpeta.
Violence was, however, non-existent in the campaigning for the first phase of polls and the reason for this is the ULFA.
In a clear departure from earlier elections, the ULFA has announced that it would maintain equidistance from all political parties in the forthcoming assembly polls and also warned the parties not to use the outfit's name for their political benefit.
Instead of a poll boycott, ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa appealed to the people to vote for parties committed resolve the issue of Assam's sovereignty.
{{/usCountry}}Instead of a poll boycott, ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa appealed to the people to vote for parties committed resolve the issue of Assam's sovereignty.
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