War of claims before poll results: Gogoi flags EVM tampering; CM eyes mandate

Guwahati, Apr 12: With vote counting yet to begin, Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi has claimed that the Opposition would come to power if the electoral process remained free and fair.

“I want to say this clearly - if there is no tampering of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the Opposition will definitely form the government this time,” Gogoi said.

He also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to manipulate the machines.

“According to what we have heard, the BJP has brought experts from Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi. They are trying to hack the EVMs kept in strong rooms and alter the mandate given by the public,” he alleged.

The Sivasagar candidate urged Opposition workers to keep strict vigil on the strong rooms where the EVMs are stored.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma exuded confidence in the BJP’s prospects, asserting that the party would return to power comfortably.

“The result in Assam will be good. There is no issue at all. The BJP government will come smoothly,” Sarma said during a visit to Rajasthan on April 11.

He also expressed optimism about the party’s performance in West Bengal, stating that the BJP would form the government there as well.

Earlier, after the April 9 polling, Sarma had projected a strong showing for the NDA in Assam, predicting that the alliance would secure more than 90 seats in the 126-member Assembly.

“This time, people have voted with unusual enthusiasm. The turnout across communities has been very encouraging, and the NDA will secure more than 90 seats. Even if it crosses the 100-seat mark, it would not be surprising,” he had said.

He also predicted a weak performance by the Opposition, suggesting that the AIUDF may secure only a handful of seats, while the Congress is likely to remain below the 20-seat mark.