981candidates in fray for Assam Assembly polls

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A total of 981 candidates are in the fray for the 126 Assembly constituencies in Assam that go to polls in two phases on April 4 and 11.

While 485 hopefuls are in the race for 62 seats in the first phase, 496 are in the fray for 64 seats in the second phase, Additional Chief Electoral Officer M C Sahu told reporters here.

While there are 447 male candidates and 38 women in the first phase, the figure is 449 and 47 for the second phase.

The ruling Congress and the opposition BJP have fielded 62 candidates each. The opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has 51 nominees. There are 157 independents in the first phase.

In the second phase 64 Congress candidates are in the fray while there are 58 BJP nominees, 58 of Trinamool Congress and 53 of AGP.

There are a maximum of 25 contestants in the fray in South Karimganj, while there are only three hopefuls for the Baithalangshu seat in the first phase.

In the second phase, the highest number 46 candidates are in the race for the Sorukhetri seat while three hopefuls are in the fray for the Chapaguri seat, Sahu said.

There are a total of 52 general EC observers while 42 expenditure EC officials will be monitoring the campaign of candidates for the poll, he said.