Roadshows, rallies cap final day as Assam campaign ends on high pitch

Guwahati, April 7: The final day of campaigning for the Assam Assembly elections witnessed a flurry of roadshows and rallies across key urban centres, with Guwahati emerging as a focal point of high-energy political mobilisation before the deadline ended at 5 pm on Tuesday.

In the city, candidates Mira Borthakur and Kunki Chowdhury led vibrant roadshows and campaign rallies, drawing sizeable crowds of supporters.

Party workers, waving flags and raising slogans, accompanied the candidates through major stretches, turning the streets into a spectacle of colour and political fervour.

The final push reflected a last-minute effort by contenders to consolidate voters' support and leave a strong visual imprint ahead of polling.

The scenes in Guwahati mirrored similar high-decibel campaigning across the state, where political parties made their closing appeals through public meetings, door-to-door outreach, and localised engagements.

With the campaign period now over, the stage is set for voting on April 9, when 722 candidates will contest for seats in the 126-member Assam Assembly in a single-phase election.

The run-up to the polls saw an intense and often bitter contest between the ruling NDA and the Congress-led Opposition alliance, marked by sharp rhetoric and competing narratives.

Top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, led an aggressive campaign, targeting the Congress on issues such as alleged infiltration, insurgency and lack of development during its tenure.

The ruling party highlighted its governance record, citing initiatives like land rights for tea garden workers, welfare schemes for women, financial support for girl students, and a reported decline in child marriage.

It also reiterated its intent to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state.

The Congress and its allies countered by accusing the BJP of divisive politics, corruption, and uneven development. The Opposition also promised welfare measures, including financial assistance for women, improved healthcare coverage, and land rights for indigenous communities.

The campaign was further charged by personal allegations, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accusing state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi of links with Pakistan’s ISI, while the Congress raised questions over the assets and financial dealings of Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma.

Prominent national leaders from both camps actively campaigned across Assam, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi leading the opposition’s outreach.

Key candidates in the fray include Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, and several senior ministers, along with regional leaders like Akhil Gogoi and Lurinjyoti Gogoi.

The NDA alliance comprises the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), and Bodo Peoples’ Front (BPF), while the opposition bloc includes the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), CPI(M), CPI(ML), and the All Party Hill Leaders’ Conference.

Unlike previous elections held in multiple phases, Assam will go to the polls in a single phase this time, intensifying the stakes for all parties involved.

With inputs from PTI