BARPETA, April 9 - Poll campaigning in all the six Assembly constituencies under Barpeta election district gained its peak on Saturday, the last day of electioneering where 52 candidates are in the fray.
Altogether 9,92,065 voters will exercise their franchise in the second phase of Assembly elections to be held on the April 11.
In 40-Sarbhog constituency, there are 14 candidates in the fray, including the incumbent BJP MLA, Ranjit Kumar Das, who is seeking re-election as the BJP nominee. The other contestants are: Anurupa Hannan from the INC, Samsul Haque from the AIUDF, Manoranjan Talukdar from the CPM, Ikbal Hussain from the NRMP, Muktar Hussain from the Jan Congress, Anilananda Pathak, Manju Sabnam, Subal Chandra Das, Pradip Debnath, Himanshu Bharali, Abdul Hakim Ahmed, Nirmal Kumar Agarwala and Mohidul Islam (all Independents).
There are 1,94,489 electorates in the constituency, including 1,02,133 male and 92,356 female. Voting will be held in 231 polling stations.
The candidates in the fray for the 43-Barpeta constituency are: Abdur Rahim Ahmed from the INC, sitting MLA Abdur Rahim Khan from the AIUDF, Gunindra Nath Das from the AGP, and Independents Faruk Khan, Sohrab Hussain, Sanjay Kumar Das and Atikur Rahman. With 213 polling stations, there are 1,80,608 electorates in the constituency, including 93,205 male and 87,403 female.
There seems to be a triangular battle in Barpeta between the AGP, the Congress and the AIUDF.
In 44-Jania constituency, there are six contenders, including sitting MLA Rafiqul Islam from the AIUDF and runner-up of the last Assembly elections, Abdul Khaleque from the Congress. Others in the fray are: Md Amir Hussain, Moinul Haque, Benjir Arfan and Sultan Ahmed.
There are 1,73,326 voters, including 91,131 male and 82,195 female, who will decide the fates of these six candidates on April 11, who will vote from 194 polling stations. Jania is likely to witness a straight contest between the Congress and the AIUDF.
The poll battle in 45-Baghbar constituency is seemed to be a complicated one with Sherman Ali Ahmed, who won the last Assembly elections as an AIUDF candidate, is seeking re-election as a Congress nominee this time.
The AIUDF with strong presence in the constituency has nominated Sheikh Abdul Hamid. Independent Rajib Ahmed, who was defeated as a Congress nominee in the 2011 elections and is known as a popular person, is likely to play a vital role this time. Other contestants in the fray are: Jahidul Islam, Ali Ajgarh, Abdul Bareque, Altaf Hussain, Jamaluddin and Rejaul Karim.
With 160 polling stations, there are 1,46,357 electorates in the constituency, including 75,775 male and 70,582 female.
In 46-Sarukshetri constituency, there are 11 candidates in the fray this time. They are Chittaranjan Barman from the AGP, Zakir Hussain Sikdar from the INC, Ali Hussain from the AIUDF, Piyarul Islam from the CPM, Dr Tara Prasad Das, Javedur Rahman Khan, Md Motiur Rahman, Arun Das, Anowar Islam Ahmed, Hemanta Kalita and Hareswar Deka.
In total 1,74,910 electorates, including 91,805 male and 83,105 female, will exercise their franchise from 214 polling stations. The constituency is likely to have a straight contest between the ruling Congress party and the AGP-BJP-BPF alliance.
The 47-Chenga constituency has the least contenders with only five candidates, including Cabinet Minister Sukur Ali Ahmed as Congress nominee, in the fray for Assembly elections. The AIUDF and BJP have nominated Manowara Khatun and Gunajit Adhikari, respectively. Others in the battle are: Safikul Islam and Surjya Mallik.
With 152 polling stations, there are 1,22,375 voters in the constituency, including 64,254 male and 58,121 female.
For the first time, the BJP has shown its presence in the constituency and it is likely to face a triangular contest between the Congress, the AIUDF and the BJP.
