GUWAHATI, April 22: Altogether 47 candidates are in the fray for the four Lok Sabha constituencies that will go to polls in the third and final phase in Assam on May 7, an official statement said on Monday.
Five candidates — three in Kokrajhar and two in Dhubri — withdrew their nominations on the last day, it said.
Among the 47 candidates, highest number of 14 will be contesting from Barpeta seat, followed by 13 in Dhubri, 12 in Kokrajhar and eight in Guwahati.
Altogether 52 valid nominations were filed for the four seats of third phase, out of five withdrew their papers.
In the Guwahati constituency, BJP’s Bijuli Kalita Medhi is expected to be locked in a direct fight with Congress’ Mira Borthakur Goswami, with the saffron party looking to retain the seat.
The minority-dominated Dhubri seat is likely to witness a triangular contest between AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal, seeking to return to the lower house for the fourth consecutive term, Congress MLA Rakibul Hussain and NDA nominee Zaved Islam of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).
In Barpeta also, the fight is expected to be a three-cornered one among CPI(M)’s Manoranjan Talukdar, AGP’s Phani Bhusan Choudhury and Congress’ Deep Bayan.
Congress’ Abdul Khaleque holds the Barpeta seat currently but was not given the party ticket this time.
Kokrajhar is also likely to witness a contest among three key contenders – NDA’s United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) nominee Jayanta Basumtary, Congress’ Garjen Mushahary and Bodoland People’s Front’s (BPF) Kampa Borgoyary.
The nomination of the incumbent Kokrajhar MP Naba Kumar Sarania was rejected following the striking down of his Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
He had been representing the seat reserved for ST as an independent since 2014.
Out of 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state, polling in the first phase for five constituencies was conducted on April 19, while it is scheduled for another five seats on April 26.
In the outgoing Lok Sabha, BJP held nine seats, Congress three, AIUDF and an independent one each from the state. (PTI)
