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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies have secured a near-total victory in the Assam Panchayat elections, the results of which are being declared as counting continues after commencing at 8 am on Sunday (May 11). The Congress, the principal Opposition party in the State, has suffered a severe drubbing, failing to make a significant impact in these grassroots-level polls.

 

As per the latest figures, the BJP-led alliance has claimed 304 out of the total 397 Zila Parishad seats, leaving the Congress with a mere 63 seats, while other parties and Independents have secured 30 seats. In the Anchalik Panchayat category, the BJP and its allies have captured 1,196 out of the total 2,192 seats, with the Congress managing just 110 seats, and other parties and Independents taking the remaining 30 seats.

 

The Congress has faced particularly crushing defeats in its traditional strongholds in Upper Assam, including Jorhat and Sivasagar districts, which fall under the Jorhat Parliamentary constituency, a seat held by Gaurav Gogoi, who won the general election last year. In both these districts, the Congress has failed to win even a single Zila Parishad or Anchalik Panchayat seat.

Also read: Voting begins for first phase of Assam panchayat elections

The party’s disappointing performance extends across nearly every district in Upper Assam, where the BJP and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) have made significant inroads, securing most of the Zila Parishad and Anchalik Panchayat seats.

 

The Panchayat polls, considered a critical indicator ahead of the State Assembly elections next year, were conducted in 27 districts across Assam in two phases — on May 2 and 7. The first phase, held on May 2, covered Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Majuli, Jorhat, Golaghat, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Cachar, Hailakandi, and Sreebhumi districts. The second phase on May 7 included Barpeta, Bajali, Nalbari, Kamrup, Kamrup Metro, Hojai, Nagaon, Morigaon, Darrang, Dhubri, South Salmara, Mankachar, Goalpara, and Bongaigaon.

 

Notably, 1,289 candidates were elected unopposed before the two-phase polling, including 21 Zila Parishad members, 151 Anchalik Panchayat members, and 1,117 Gaon Panchayat members.

 

The final tally is expected to be updated as counting continues through Monday (May 12).