Guwahati: Voting is underway for the five assembly constituencies of Behali, Bongaigaon, Dholai, Samaguri and Sidli in Assam with polls opening at 7 am.
These seats became vacant earlier this year after several MLAs transitioned to parliamentary roles following the Lok Sabha elections.
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The vacant seats include two from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), one from the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), one from the United Peoples Party Liberal (UPPL), and one from the opposition Congress.
The voting will continue until 5 pm and the counting of votes is scheduled for November 23.
While the high-voltage election is one of the most anticipated ones, the Samaguri seat this time seemed to be the most controversial one.
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There has been a series of violence in the constituency between the BJP and Congress supporters.
Last week the pre-poll violence escalated in Assam‘s Samaguri constituency when suspected armed miscreants opened fire on a BJP padayatra (march) involving Barhampur MLA Jitu Goswami, injuring three people.
According to reports, the incident occurred in the Moriputhi area of Samaguri when attackers targeted BJP leaders participating in the march, including MLA Goswami.
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It was reported that the assailants initially pelted stones at the participants before attacking them with sticks, and later unidentified individuals fired shots at the group, injuring three. Goswami’s vehicle also sustained partial damage from the attack.
The injured were admitted to a hospital in Nagaon for treatment.
The seat is being contested by Tanzil Hussain, son of former minister and Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain, on a Congress ticket against BJP’s Diplu Ranjan Sarma.