Assam poll results: Vote counting begins across 40 centres; Himanta Biswa Sarma eyes sixth win

GUWAHATI: Counting of votes for the 126 assembly seats in Assam started simultaneously across 40 counting centres in 35 districts sharp at 8 am on Monday.This is the first election held after delimitation of assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies were carried out in 2023, redrawing boundaries of the constituencies.The fate of altogether 722 candidates, 258 of whom are independents, will be decided by end of the day to form the 16th legislative assembly in the state.While a reconfigured BJP-led NDA, with BPF now a partner, is looking for a third straight term, the Congress is hoping for a comeback after 10 years with help of an alliance of five regional parties and the Left.Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is looking for his sixth successive win from Jalukbari constituency that convers parts of Guwahati city while opposition leader Gaurav Gogoi is making his debut in assembly elections from Jorhat constituency in upper Assam.Also among top contenders is AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal who is attempting a comeback to the assembly after 17 years, contesting from a renamed Binnakandi constituency while former Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi is contesting from Dispur seat as BJP candidate.The EC has thrown a strong security blanket around the counting centres and has banned all kinds of victory celebrations, processions and bursting of firecrackers within 200 meters of the counting centres.