Manmohan, wife to vote in Assam polls on Monday

Guwahati, April 10 (IANS) The second phase of the Assam assembly elections on Monday will have at least two VVIP voters -- former prime minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gurcharan Kaur.

The couple are voters in the Dispur constituency, and will cast their ballot at the Dispur Government High School polling station no.207 in Guwahati, a spokesman of the Assam unit of the Congress said on Sunday,

Manmohan Singh and his wife will arrive at the Guwahati airport around 12.30 p.m. and will head directly to the polling station.

"They are likely to cast their votes around 1 p.m. After casting their votes, the couple will go to Brahmaputra State Guest House in Guwahati for some time and will return to Delhi around 5.30 p.m.," the spokesman said.

Manmohan Singh is enrolled in the electoral roll as voter no.570, Gurcharan Kaur is enrolled as voter no.571.

Manmohan Singh has been a member of the Rajya Sabha from Assam since 1991.

The then chief minister late Hiteswar Saikia offered him a Rajya Sabha seat from Assam when he became the finance minister in the Narasimha Rao government.

Saikia also made him a tenant in his house and Manmohan Singh's address in the electoral roll is mentioned as house no.3989 in Sarumataria area of Guwahati.

The second phase of polls on Monday involves 61 constituencies.

Polling for 65 constituencies took place on April 4 and recorded 83.20 percent turnout.