Panchayat polls at 2 pm: Counting delayed in Kamrup (M), BJP leads in 4 key districts

Jorhat/ Biswanath/ Goalpara/Bongaigaon/Guwahati, May 11: Even by 2 pm, the State Election Commission, Assam had not released any official updates on the ongoing panchayat poll counting, leading to widespread speculation.

According to early reports, counting for ZPC in several key areas, including Kamrup (Metro), had not even started.

While results for many Gram Panchayat (GP) member seats have been declared, a clear picture of which party may gain control remains elusive as GP members contested as independents this time.

Counting began today at 8 am. Polling took place in two phases, on May 2 and 7, across 27 districts of Assam — the first panchayat elections held after the delimitation of constituencies.

According to early trends, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its alliance are leading in the Assam panchayat polls. As per initial reports, BJP and AGP are leading in 32 and 2 Zila Parishad constituencies (ZPC) respectively, out of a total of 397 across Assam, till 1 pm.

In the Anchalik Panchayat results, BJP is leading in 294 seats, Congress in 19, AGP in 36, and others in 18, out of a total of 2,192 Anchalik Parishad seats. However, the State Election Commission, Assam has not released any official update till 2 pm.

Goalpara

In Goalpara district, BJP candidates have already won unopposed in two of the 16 Zila Parishad constituencies. Of the remaining 14 seats, early trends show BJP candidates leading in several - Niva Khakhlari in Kuchdhowa, Minakshi Goswami in Matiya Dalgoma, Noyonmoni Das in Dhupdhara, and Meher Jamal Hokra in Guriadhap. AGP candidate Abdur Rahim Jibran is leading in Bhalukdubi. These trends reflect a growing consolidation of BJP’s influence in the district, though final results are awaited.

Biswanath Chariali

Of the 73 Anchalik Parishad seats in the district, 23 have been secured uncontested, while 112 candidates are contesting the remaining 50. In the 730 Gaon panchayat wards, 237 members were elected unopposed, and 1,312 candidates are vying for the rest.

For the 12 Zila Parishad seats, one — Burai of Behali — has been won uncontested. Counting is underway for the remaining 11 seats, with 28 candidates in the fray. BJP has reportedly made early gains in all four district councils under Biswanath.

Victories have been recorded in Sowaguri Panchayat, where Arfina Khatun, Jamil Hakkar, and Marjina Begum won their respective wards. BJP candidates Gitanjali Borthakur Bora (Vishwanath Pub Nagashankar) and Babita Chhetri (South Nagashankar) have also secured early wins.

Meanwhile, the Congress registered a key win in Behali village panchayat, where Chiraj Hazarika defeated BJP candidate Biraj Neupane by a margin of 46 votes, polling 2,160 votes to Neupane’s 2,114. The narrow victory underscores the competitive nature of the elections in the region.

District Commissioner Munindra Nath said, “The vote counting process is proceeding smoothly, with dedicated halls for each Zila Parishad. Due to the high volume of ballots, we expect the counting to conclude by around 3 or 4 a.m. tomorrow."

Jorhat

In Jorhat, counting began at 8 am under tight security at Government Multipurpose Boys’ School, Katakotiya. Results for 10 of the 86 Gaon Panchayats have been declared so far, with BJP-backed candidates winning nine and Congress taking one. Results for the Zila and Anchalik Parishad are still awaited.

Among the early winners in the Gaon Panchayat:

• Ward 1: Nilam Dev Tanti (157 votes)
• Ward 2: Anita Tanti (188 votes)
• Ward 4: Seema Rajput (285 votes)
• Ward 5: Manjumoni Kurni (275 votes)
• Ward 6: Sunil Gualai (194 votes)
• Ward 7: Susmita Rajak (188 votes)
• Ward 8: Atul Phulmalik (164 votes)
• Ward 9: Janmoni Bhumi (139 votes)
• Ward 10: Arun Mundi (198 votes)

Contests are underway for 16 Zila Parishad seats (41 candidates), 6 Anchalik Panchayats (196 candidates), and 86 Gaon Panchayats (2,017 candidates). Notably, the BJP candidate for the 6th Eastern Jorhat Anchalik Panchayat was elected unopposed, along with 47 uncontested wins in various Gaon panchayat wards.

BJP candidates have also made inroads in Moriyani and Teok. “We are committed to being with the people, listening to their needs, and working for their development. Out of 10 wards in our area, BJP has won 9 — a reflection of public trust,” said a BJP candidate from Jorhat.

Bongaigaon

Vote counting is underway in Bongaigaon district at two primary centres — Bongaigaon College and Abheshwari School in Abhayapuri subdivision. Counting is being conducted for 12 Zila Parishad seats, 65 Anchalik Panchayats, and 650 Gaon Panchayats, with a total of 1,919 candidates contesting. Eight counting halls have been set up, and postal ballot counting has begun. The district saw a high voter turnout of 83.83%.

Initial results from the 6th Tengagao Gaon Panchayat under the Bongaigaon Assembly constituency show the following winners:

• Ward 4 (Dhala Gaon): Ranjita Roy (145 votes)
• Ward 5 (Kh. Dhala Gaon): Taznur Sheikh (224 votes)
• Ward 6 (K. Tengagao): Manomati Roy (124 votes)
• Ward 7 (Kh. Tengagao): Junmoni Choudhury (168 votes)
• Ward 8 (G. Tengagao): Jyotima Sutradhar (178 votes)
• Ward 9 (Gh. Tengagao): Gajendra Barman (189 votes)
• Ward 10 (Ng. Tengagao): Archana Barman (209 votes)

As counting continues late into the night, early indicators suggest the BJP holds a strong position across these key districts. However, the final outcome hinges on results yet to be declared.