Phase II: Campaigning ends, 50 in fray for 5 Assam seats

Guwahati, April 16 (IANS) Campaigning for the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls came to an end in Assam on Tuesday.

Silchar, Karimganj, Nowgong, Mangaldai and Autonomous District (Diphu) constituencies are going to the polls in the second phase on April 18 which will be held across 8,992 polling stations set up in these constituencies.

A total of 69,10,592 voters including 33,55,952 women and 180 belonging to the third gender are eligible to exercise their franchise. There are a total of 50 candidates including 18 Independents in the fray for the five Lok Sabha seats.

While the BJP has fielded former legislator Kripanath Mallah in Karimganj constituency, the Congress has pitted Swarup Das against him. The AIUDF has fielded sitting Lok Sabha MP Radheshyam Biswas.

The opposition Congress has given the party ticket to sitting MP Sushmita Dev in Silchar constituency in Barak Valley while the BJP has fielded Dr. Rajdeep Roy. Although there are 13 candidates in the fray for the Silchar seat, a straight battle is expected between the Congress and the BJP here.

Although five candidates are in the fray in Autonomous District constituency, the main poll battle is expected between Congress veteran and seven-time Lok Sabha MP Biren Sing Engti and the BJP's Horen Sing Bey.

Bey is banking on the anti-incumbency factor against Engti, who will be seeking re-election for the eighth consecutive time from the constituency.

In Mangaldai constituency, the BJP has fielded Dilip Saikia in place of sitting Lok Sabha MP Ramen Deka while the Congress has fielded Rajya Sabha MP and former President of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, Bhubneswar Kalita.

The Nowgong Lok Sabha constituency on the other hand is likely to witness a straight battle of ballots between the BJP's Rupak Sarmah and the Congress' Pradyut Bordoloi. The BJP has replaced its sitting MP Rajen Gohain in the constituency who has been holding the seat since 1999.