BJP all set to wrest Assam from Congress

GUWAHATI: For the first time, the BJP looks set to form its government in Assam.

As per latest trends, the BJP alliance is ahead in 68 seats while Congress is leading in 20 places. AIUDF is ahead in 11 constituencies and others are ahead in 5 places.

In the outgoing Assembly in Assam, the Congress had 78 seats while the BJP had only 5. AIUDF had 18 seats while current BJP allies Bodo People's Front (BPF) and AGP had 12 and 10 seats respectively.

Among the prominent candidates are chief minister Tarun Gogoi from Titabor, Speaker of the outgoing Assembly Pranab Gogoi from Sibsagar, former Union minister and prominent tea tribe leader Paban Singh Ghatowar of Congress from Moran, Union minister and BJP's chief minister candidate Sarbananda Sonowal from Majuli(ST), Jorhat LS MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa against Tarun Gogoi from Titabor and former Congress minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who joined the BJP after leading dissidence again Tarun Gogoi from Jalukbari.

AGP's prominent candidates are two-time former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta from Baharampur and its working president Atul Bora from Bokakkhat and AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal from South Salmara.

Polling in Assam was held in two phases on April 4 and April 11.