The fate of 485 candidates, including 38 women have been sealed in the ballot. The Congress and the BJP had fielded 62 candidates each for the first phase, while the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) had put up 51 . There are 157 independent candidates in the fray for the first phase. Among the prominent candidates whose fates were sealed in the first phase vote include Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.
ULFA ‘military chief’ Paresh Barua’s octogenarian mother Miliki Baruah today cast her vote in Chabua constituency of Dibrugarh district saying she had always faith in democracy. For the first time in 15 years, 41 cadres of the ethnic Karbi Anglong N C Hills liberation front participated in the democratic process and gave an exemplary solution by preferring ballots to the bullets. In the high profile Silchar constituency itself, women and boys lined up at 6 am, well before the polling hours. In Upper Assam as well the mood was positive and upbeat.
