Lok Sabha elections begin today; Assam, Tripura go to poll in first phase

New Delhi: The high-stakes battle in the virtual Presidential-style contest between Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi with a few other regional satraps also in the fray in the Lok Sabha elections begins on Monday in six constituencies in two states in the first of the nine-phased polls.

Five constituencies in Assam — Tezpur, Kaliabor, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur and Tripura (West) in Tripura — will go to polls on Monday.

Campaign has already ended in these constituencies and the candidates have mounted door-to-door contact with the electorate seeking their votes.

Unlike in the past, neither factions of the ULFA, pro nor anti-talks, have issued diktats to the voters for boycott of the elections or made any statement against any political party.

The Congress, BJP, Trinamool Congress, AIUDF, AGP, AAP, SUCI, CPI (M), AIFB and SP are contesting in the five seats in Tezpur, Koliabor, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur in the Congress ruled state.

Among the 51 candidates are union ministers Ranee Narah and Paban Singh Ghatowar, former union minister and sitting MLA Bijoy Krishna Handique, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s son Gourav Gogoi and Bhupen Kumar Bora for the Congress.

Congress rebel and Independent candidate Moni Kumar Subba is also contesting.

For the BJP are its state unit president Sorbananda Sonowal and Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and for the AGP Arun Kumar Sarma, Pradip Hazarika and Joseph Toppo.