BJP leader and NEDA convenor Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma has won the assembly election with a record margin of over 1 lakh votes. The senior minister in the outgoing BJP led govt won the polls by 1,01,911 votes from Jalukbari constituency, comprehensively defeating Romen Barthakur.
Dr. Sarma has now won the seat for the consecutive fifth time with this win, and his winning margin has been increasing with every election, defying any anti-incumbency that most politicians face. His winning margin in 2016 was around 85935, while the same was 77403 in 2011. He had won by 34480 votes in 2006 and by 35035 votes in 2001. While he won the current and the last elections from BJP, the previous elections were won from Congress ticket, as he had joined BJP in 2015.
Himanta Biswa Sarma campaigned in Jalukbari constituency for himself for only one day, on the last day of the campaigning for the third and last phase of the polls. He would have been unable to campaign on the last day also, as the Election Commission had imposed a 48 hour ban on him from campaigning when 2 days of election campaign were remaining. But the same was reduced to 24 hours after Dr Sarma tendered an unconditional apology for his comments on BPF chief Hagrama Mohilary that had led to the ban.
While he had not campaigned for himself, he campaigned most for the party during the elections. He had attended several election rallies, roadshows and padayatras at various constituencies across the state, campaigning for alliance candidates.
Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal has won by over 42,000 votes from Majuli, and Assam BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass has won from the Patacharkuchi constituency.
On the other hand, state Congress leader Ripun Bora had to face defeat from Gohpur constituency. He was defeated by BJP leader Utpal Borah.
While the counting for the elections is still going on, NDA is set to form the next government as it projected to win 76 seats in the 126-seat assembly. The Congress led alliance is leading in 45 seats. However, the question over the CM still remains, as BJP didn’t project current CM Sarbananda Sonowal as its CM candidate, and Himanta Biswa Sarma was seen as a strong contender for the post.
