Over 1800 polling stations ready for Lok Sabha elections in Assam's Sonitpur

The first phase of polls in five parliamentary constituencies--Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, and Kaziranga--will be held on April 19.

AAP takes out bike rally in Dibrugarh

Popular mood sweeps Dibrugarh with Sarbatre Sarbananda

HT Correspondent DIBRUGARH, April 17: Sarbananda Sonowal, the BJP candidate contesting from the Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency, drew curtains of the election campaign on Wednesday. The energetic campaign by Sonowal spanning over weeks evoked much response from people of all walks of life. A local from Dibrugarh, Sonowal has been successful in connecting with all []

Election campaigning in Dibrugarh LS ends after high-voltage campaigning for several weeks

HT Correspondent DIBRUGARH, April 17: The high- voltage election campaigning of all the three candidates in Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency ended at around 5 pm on Wednesday. AAP candidate Manoj Dhanowar took out a bike rally in the town with huge supporters, while INDIA bloc candidate Lurinjyoti Gogoi also participated in a rally in the []

Campaign ends for first phase of LS polls in Assam

Campaign ends for first phase of LS polls in Assam Guwahati: The campaigning for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Assam concluded on Wednesday. Voting will take place in five constituencies of the state on April 19. A total of 35 candidates are contesting for five seats Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Kaziranga, Sonitpur, and [] The post Campaign ends for first phase of LS polls in Assam appeared first on Mangalorean.com .

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Campaigning ends for first phase in 102 seats

NEW DELHI: Campaigning for 102 parliamentary constituencies distributed across 21 states and Union territories, where voting will be held in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 19, concluded on Wednesday. In the first phase, polling will be held in Arunachal Pradesh (2 seats), Assam (5), Bihar (4), Chhattisgarh (1), Madhya Pradesh (6), Maharashtra (5), Manipur (2), Meghalaya (2), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Rajasthan (12), Sikkim (1), Tamil Nadu (39), Tripura (1), Uttar Pradesh (8), Uttarakhand (5), West Bengal (3), Andaman and Nicobar (1), Jammu and Kashmir (1), Lakshadweep (1) and Puducherry (1). Campaigning for the first phase of polling on April 19 in Uttar Pradesh concluded Wednesday evening, with candidates closing up their campaigns for eight parliamentary seats. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, both members of the opposition's INDIA bloc, held rallies in Saharanpur and Moradabad on the final day of the campaign. On what basis is BJP claiming 400 seats: Priyanka Gandhi smells a rat in NDA slogan The seats going to the polls in the first phase on Friday are Saharanpur, Bijnor, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur, and Pilibhit. Likewise, campaigning drew to a close in Uttarakhand at 5 pm this evening, Chief Electoral Officer B VRC Purushottam said. Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in a roadshow in Haldwani on the last day of the election campaign, earlier on Wednesday. After winning all five seats in Uttarakhand in the 2014 and 2019 general elections, the BJP is attempting to retain them for a third term. Six personnel for four voters -- a unique polling booth in Uttarakhand Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the BJP's campaign, built around the development plank, in Madhya Pradesh for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections that ended on Wednesday. With the first phase scheduled for April 19, the fate of 88 candidates contesting six seats in the MP will be sealed by voters. As TN gears up to vote, poll boycott decisions in the Vengaivayals of the state fail to draw attention In Maharashtra, campaigning for Lok Sabha elections came to an end in five constituencies of the Vidarbha region on Wednesday evening. Polling will be held in the constituencies of Nagpur, Ramtek, Bhandara-Gondia, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli in the first phase on April 19. The campaigning in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur parliamentary constituency ended on Wednesday evening. It is witnessing its first major electoral battle since the abrogation of Article 370. The polling is slated for the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat in the first phase on April 19 and will decide the fate of 12 contestants. Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Commissioner Saloni Rai said, On April 17 at 6 pm, we suspended all election-related campaigning, and political parties have been directed to not hold campaigning, roadshows, or canvassing other than door-to-door campaigning. Section 144 is also imposed. Flying squad and static surveillance teams have been deployed. Our main objective is a free and fair and inducement-free election, said Rai. Asaduddin Owaisi's Uttar Pradesh gambit and why it has left the BJP chuckling in delight Meanwhile, campaigning for three Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal - Cooch Behar (SC), Jalpaiguri (SC) and Alipurduars (ST) -- going to polls in the first phase on April 19 came to an end at 6 PM on Wednesday. Altogether 14 candidates, including sitting MP and Union minister Nisith Pramanik, are contesting the parliamentary elections from Cooch Behar. Verbal exchanges between main rivals Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress over issues such as corruption, poverty, and pre-poll promises dominated the campaigning for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Chhattisgarh, which concluded on Wednesday evening. Naxal-affected Bastar is the only seat among the 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state that will vote in the first phase on April 19, an exercise that will take place in the shadow of the major counter-insurgency operation in Kanker district on April 16. In Mizoram, the campaigning for the lone Lok Sabha seat ended on Wednesday with political parties making last ditch efforts to sweep the voters. Campaigning for the April 19 simultaneous polls in Arunachal Pradesh came to an end on Wednesday evening, setting the stage to elect two Lok Sabha MPs and 50 lawmakers for the state assembly. The BJP has already opened its account by securing 10 seats in the assembly in Arunachal. Campaigning for five Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam, which are due to go for polling on April 19, including the high-profile constituency of Dibrugarh, ended on Wednesday. Congress gave problems to Northeast, BJP made it a source of possibilities: PM Modi in Assam The Lok Sabha poll campaigning for 2024, for the first phase of elections, ended at 5 pm on the five Lok Sabha seats in Assam, including the high-profile seat of Dibrugarh, where Union Minister and former Chief Minister of Assam are contesting. The voting for the Lok Sabha election in the first phase is to be held across 21 states in 102 seats, including five seats in Upper Assam. The campaign for the Tripura West Lok Sabha constituency and the Ramnagar Assembly constituency by-poll also ended at 5 pm on Wednesday. Modi says Congress 'loot' policy would have led to Rs 5,000 mobile bills in northeast All preparations, including security arrangements, have been made for the polling to be held on April 19, an election department official said. Rallies, public meetings and roadshows marked the two-week-long high-decibel campaign. In the meantime, speaking on the preparations for Lok Sabha elections in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, South Andaman SP Niharika Bhatt says, The election campaign will be banned from 6 PM today and no political gathering or street processions will be allowed, that's called the 'Silent' period. Only door-to-door campaigning will be allowed and that too without speakers. DC has also given orders regarding Section 144 to maintain law and order. Voting will start at 7 in the morning on April 19 and go until 6 p.m. A few pink polling booths have been established where all the officials will be women, said the official. The 2024 general elections will be held in India in seven phases, from April 19 to June 1, to elect the 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha. The results will be announced on June 4. From backroom boys to consultants: Poll strategists turn campaign makers in India's political war rooms

Assam: Doctors wife arrested for torturing minor house help in Dibrugarh

Guwahati: In a shocking incident, the wife of a doctor based in Dibrugarh has been arrested for alleged physical torture of their minor house help, police said on Tuesday. The neighbours complained to the police after which the woman was arrested, Officer in Charge of Dibrugarh Police Station, Raju Bahadur Chetry, said. A relevant case [] The post Assam: Doctors wife arrested for torturing minor house help in Dibrugarh appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

First phase of LS polls sees prominent figures vying for seats

First phase of LS polls sees prominent figures vying for seats Eight Union ministers, two former chief ministers and one ex-governor are among those who are set to test their electoral fate in the first phase of elections on April 19 when 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories will go to polls. Union Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari is seeking a hat-trick of win from the Nagpur seat. In 2014, he had defeated seven-time MP Vilas Muttemwar by a margin of 2.84 lakh votes and retained the seat in 2019 by defeating current Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole by 2.16 lakh votes. Union minister Kiren Rijiju is contesting from the Arunachal West seat. The 52-year-old has represented the constituency thrice since 2004. Rijiju's main rival is former chief minister and present president of Arunachal Pradesh Congress Nabam Tuki. Sarbanada Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, is seeking a return to Lok Sabha from Dibrugarh in Assam. Sonowal, a Rajya Sabha member, was fielded from Dibrugarh after Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Rameswar Teli, was not given a ticket. Muzaffarnagar, known for its intricate caste dynamics, is witnessing a three-cornered electoral battle, with Union minister Sanjeev Baliyan locked in competition against Samajwadi Party's Harindra Malik and BSP candidate Dara Singh Prajapati. Jitendra Singh, a two-time parliamentarian and a junior minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet, is aiming for a hat-trick in Udhampur. Bhupendra Yadav, Union minister and Rajya Sabha member who replaced sitting MP Balak Nath, is in a contest with sitting Congress MLA Lalit Yadav, who belongs to Matsya region of Alwar district in Rajasthan and enjoys the support of the Yadav community. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is pitted against former Congress minister Govind Ram Meghwl from Bikaner parliamentary seat in Rajasthan. The Nilgiris Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu is witnessing one of the keenly watched battles between A Raja, the incumbent DMK MP, and former telecom minister, and L Murugan of the BJP, who is the Union Minister of State for Fisheries. This will be the first time that Murugan, who was elected to Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh, is contesting from here. Sivaganga MP Karti Chidmabaram is aiming for a re-election from a seat his father won seven times, competing against BJP's T Devanathan Yadav and AIADMK's Xavier Dass. Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai is set to take the ballot test in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore where she is pitted against DMK leader Ganapathy P Rajkumar and AIADMK's Singai Ramachandran. Tamilisai Soundararajan, who recently resigned as governor of Telangana and Lt Governor of Puducherry to return to active politics, is contesting from Chennai South Lok Sabha constituency. Daughter of veteran Congress leader Kumari Anantha, Soundararajan had contested 2019 Lok Sabha elections against DMK's Kanimozhi, but lost by a huge margin in Thoothukudi. This time, Kanimozhi is seeking a re-election from the seat. NDA ally Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) has fielded SDR Vijayaseelan and AIADMK has fielded R Sivasami Velumani from the constituency. Nakul Nath, son of Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, is seeking a re-election Chhindwara. The seat has remained firmly with Kamal Nath, who has won the seat nine times since 1980. In the 2019 polls, the BJP bagged 28 seats out of the state's 29, but missed out on picking Chhindwara, where Nakul beat the BJP's candidate by 37,536 votes to emerge as the lone Congress MP in the state. Of the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Tripura, the seat of West Tripura that votes in the first phase on April 19 will see a high-voltage clash between former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb and state Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha. Having won Lok Sabha elections twice since 2014 from Kaliabor constituency in Assam, Gaurav Gogoi, Congress' deputy leader in Lok Sabha and son of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, finds himself as the new candidate in neighbouring Jorhat, where BJP's Topon Kumar Gogoi won in 2019. Gaurav Gogoi's shift to Jorhat came after the impact of delimitation exercise in his 2019 constituency, Kaliabor. Manipur Law and Education Minister Basanta Kumar Singh is BJP's nominee for the Inner Manipur constituency and is pitted against JNU professor and Congress candidate Bimal Akoijam. Singh, who belongs to the Meiti community, is the son of Thounaojam Chaoba Singh who served as the Union Minister of State for sports, youth affairs, culture and food processing in the NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The BJP stronghold of Churu, in northern Rajasthan, is readying for an interesting match between BJP candidate Devendra Jhajharia, a two-time Paralympic gold medallist javelin thrower, and Rahul Kaswan from the Congress. Kaswan is a turncoat who has made the fight for Churu interesting. The two-time left the BJP only in March after he was denied a ticket by the party. Polling for the 543 seats for electing the 18th Lok Sabha will be held in seven phases. The votes will be counted on June 4.

Fifteen 'crorepati' candidates in fray for 5 Lok Sabha seats in Assam

Among the 35 candidates contesting for the five Lok Sabha seats in Assam scheduled for polling on April 19, fifteen are millionaires, with the wealthiest being independent female candidate Diluwara Begum Chowdhury from the Kaziranga constituency. The five constituencies going to the polls on April 19 include Jorhat, Kaziranga, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur, and Lakhimpur.

Assam: PM Modi ushering growth in the Northeast, says Sarbananda Sonowal

Dibrugarh: The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal addressed multiple public meetings at the New Rangagarha regional playground in Gatang, Lakhipathar as well as at Barekuri in the Makum LAC area. At the start of the day, Sonowal paid his respects when he prayed at the Panitola Bornaamghar before beginning [] The post Assam: PM Modi ushering growth in the Northeast, says Sarbananda Sonowal appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Sarbananda Sonowal campaigns in Naharkatia, partakes in pada yatra

HT Correspondent DIBRUGARH, April 16: Union minister and BJP candidate contesting from Dibrugarh Lok Sabha Constituency (LSC), Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday campaigned across the Naharkatia legislative assembly constituency (LAC) at Tarani Pathar, Nigam and Namrup. Sonowal also took part in a pada yatra, where thousands joined in to rally support for BJP on Tuesday. Later []

Congress leader Pawan Khera slams BJP for using ED, CBI against opposition leaders

HT Correspondent DIBRUGARH, April 16: Congress leader Pawan Khera on Tuesday criticised the BJP government for misusing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against opposition leaders, who raised their voices against them. Addressing a press conference here, Khera, senior Congress spokesperson, said, This election is very important in the countrys []

Assam: Congress leader Pawan Khera urges people to vote consciously to save democracy

DIBRUGARH: Congress leader Pawan Khera on Tuesday appealed to the voters to vote consciously to save the democracy and constitution of India during an address in Dibrugarh, Assam. Khera said, I appeal to all the voters to vote consciously and vote to save the democracy and the constitution. People join the BJP as they use [] The post Assam: Congress leader Pawan Khera urges people to vote consciously to save democracy appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Doors closed for Congress leaders who went to BJP: Pawan Khera

Dibrugarh: Congress leader Pawan Khera on Tuesday, April 16, said leaders of his party who went to the BJP will try to return once the government at the Centre changes, but doors are closed for them. Addressing a press conference here, he claimed that Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma was having sleepless nights as he Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

Arunachal Pradesh assembly elections: Militants threaten voters to support NPP candidate

DIBRUGARH: With just a few days left for assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh, alarming reports have surfaced from the Northeast state, indicating involvement of NSCN-KYA in the electoral process. In Longding Pumao assembly constituency, situated in the insurgency-prone Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh, voters are reportedly being coerced to support a specific candidate, under alleged [] The post Arunachal Pradesh assembly elections: Militants threaten voters to support NPP candidate appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Army jawan injured in militant attack on convoy near Assam-Arunachal border

Guwahati: An Army jawan was critically wounded when heavily armed militants on Tuesday morning launched an attack on a convoy of Assam Rifle and Indian Army in Assams Tinsukia district near Assam- Arunachal Pradesh border. Informing that troops had about 25 jawans, security sources said that militants used rocket launchers and AK series rifles to attack them. The jawan, identified as Hawladar Om Prakash, co-driver of a truck, sustained multiple bullet injuries and he has been airlifted to Dinjan Military Station in Dibrugarh for treatment, security sources said. Security sources said that the incident took place at about 8 am at Namdang area under Margherita Police Station. The troop had around 25 jawans and they were attacked with rocket launchers first. Later the militants opened fire with AK rifles on troops, security sources said, adding that a convoy of three army vehicles was heading towards Margherita from Arunachal Pradeshs Changlang when the firing incident took place. One vehicle managed to escape but two of them came under attack. They were later rescued by other troops, security sources said. Meanwhile, Superintendent of police (SP), Tinsukia district, Gaurav Avijit Dilip in an official statement said, Today around 8 am, unknown miscreants fired upon 3 Assam Rifle vehicles (31 Btln) at location around 700 m from Assam-Arunachal Border, while they were travelling from Changlang, Arunachal Pradesh to Margherita side in Assam. As per information from CO 31 AR, one Army Jawan is seriously injured and being taken to Hospital. Location falls under Margherita Police station. The Assam Rifles said they are suspecting that banned militant groups United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (Ulfa-I) and National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muiviah) were behind the attack. Ulfa-I on Tuesday afternoon claimed responsibility for their involvement in the encounter, however, no official confirmation was available. Ulfa-I in a press statement to local newspapers claimed that it was part of the operation pratishodh against the Indian Army and the Government of India. They killed two of our members and were trying to forcibly occupy land on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. We have given them a proper answer by this attack, it said. It claimed that several army jawans were injured in this attack but the authorities are trying to hide it. We have managed to injure multiple army jawans but the authorities are claiming that only one person was injured. They are airlifting the injured jawans, which is proof that many jawans were injured, Ulfa-I claimed.

Armed militants attack Assam Rifles vehicle in Tinsukia

Dibrugarh: Armed militants attacked an Assam Rifles vehicle carrying a patrol team in Assams Tinsukia on Tuesday morning. The incident occurred at Tinsukias Namdang; which is on Changlang Road in Margherita. It is suspected that NSCN cadres carried out the attack on Assam Rifles. Tinsukia Superintendent of Police Abhijit Gurav confirmed the development. He said [] The post Armed militants attack Assam Rifles vehicle in Tinsukia appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Plight of tea garden workers becomes poll issues in Dibrugarh again

Wages, health, education and land documents (pattas) are the major issues of tea garden workers of the Dibrugarhconstituency

Tea garden workers' struggles gain political attention in Dibrugarh once more

Tea garden workers' struggles gain political attention in Dibrugarh once more The two leaves and a bud, plucked by tea garden workers, may have made Assams tea industry globally renowned but the lack of their facilities comes to the fore only during elections with cacophony of promises by politicians to address their plight. Nestled amidst verdant greenery, the Dibrugarh constituency stands out with the highest concentration of tea gardens in the region with estate workers accounting for 30 per cent of the total 16.50 lakh voters. The Congress enjoyed the unstinted support of this major vote bloc since Independence till 2014 when the BJP wrested the seat for the first time and retained it five years later. Serving as a microcosm, it vividly portrays the challenges faced by tea garden workers. The constituency, comprising two districts of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia, has a total of 301 big estates and 51,063 small tea gardens. Wages, health, education and land documents (pattas) are the major issues of tea garden workers of the constituency. Union Minister and BJP candidate Sarbananda Sonowals campaign has mandatory stops at tea gardens where he shakes a leg with jhumur dancers of the tea tribe and plays their traditional drum before he starts highlighting the partys contribution to improve the life of estate workers. ''During the tenures of Himanta Biswa Sarma and mine as chief ministers, we have made all-out efforts to solve the long-standing problems of garden workers who were neglected by the Congress during their 60 years of misrule,'' Sonowal told PTI. Tea garden workers speak favourably of the BJP because the party has significantly contributed to their economic betterment, advocated social justice, and facilitated a path to a more dignified life, he claimed. Conversely, the Congress has historically treated them merely as a vote bank without adequately addressing their needs,'' Sonowal alleged. Opposition candidate Lurinjyoti Gogoi told PTI that Assam is globally known for its tea industry, but the condition of its workers is pathetic. ''BJP had made many promises for tea garden workers, including Rs 350 as wage, land pattas of their houses, health and education facilities but all remain unfulfilled,'' the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president said. There is a strong resentment against the BJP among the tea garden community in the entire Dibrugarh constituency, he claimed. The third candidate in the fray, Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) Manoj Dhanowar, belongs to the tea tribe community. He claimed that the condition of garden workers here is the worst in the country and so-called facilities provided by the BJP government have not reached all sections. ''In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the workers are paid Rs 450 per day, but in Assam, BJP is not even paying the promised Rs 350 and workers are getting a mere Rs 250,'' he claimed. Gogoi said the BJPs neglect of the community is evident from the fact that the sitting MP and Union Minister Rameswar Teli, who also belongs to the tea tribe community, was denied a ticket from the seat this election. Countering his allegation, Assam minister and Tinsukia MLA Sanjay Kishan, who also belongs to the community, told PTI that the opposition has no issue and are trying to divert people from the development work that the BJP has initiated in the state, particularly for tea garden workers. ''In Assam, there are 35 assembly constituencies where tea garden voters play a pivotal role, but it is not possible that in each, people from the community will be given tickets to contest,'' he added. Health is also a major concern in tea gardens with at least one or two tuberculosis patients in most families and the outbreak of gastro-enteritis is common in these estates, CPI-ML leader Subhas Sen, who works with workers, told PTI. ''There are no well-equipped hospitals in tea gardens. There are no permanent doctors and even if there is, they cater to at least 5 to 10 tea gardens, working on a part-time basis,'' he said. The dropout rate among the children of workers is also very high with almost 95 per cent of them not sitting for the matriculation exams, Sen added. Tea garden worker Durgamani Keot said her daughters have dropped out of school but they ''dont want to pluck leaves like me''. Keot said she has received most of the government schemes, like free rice and gas connections, but has yet to get land pattas. Another worker Kuli Tanti said though she had applied for all government schemes entitled to, she is yet to get the benefits but hopes to get it once the elections are over. The Dibrugarh constituency will go to polls on April 19.

Peace prevailed in state to celebrate Bohag Bihu without inhibition: Sarbananda Sonowal

HT Correspondent DIBRUGARH, April 15: Union minister of ports, shipping and Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal addressed multiple public meetings at New Rangagarha regional playground in Gatang, Lakhipathar as well as at Barekuri in Makum LAC area. At the start of the day, Sonowal paid his respects when he prayed at the Panitola Bornaamghar before []

Dibrugarh doctors wife arrested for torturing minor housemaid

HT Correspondent DIBRUGARH, April 15: In a sensational case of crime against children, the Dibrugarh Police has arrested Boby Kalita, wife of a doctor Debojit Dutta for allegedly physically torturing their minor housemaid for quite sometime. Meanwhile, the Dibrugarh police has registered a case at the Dibrugarh Police Station under section 352/342/326/374/506/34 of the Indian []

Dibrugarh docs wife arrested for torturing help

Indian Rail Transport Day 2024: Know These Lesser-known facts about Indian Railways

Indian Rail Transport Day 2024:As the sun rises on April 16, 2024, India marks yet another milestone in its rich railway history - Indian Rail Transport Day. This auspicious occasion commemorates the inauguration of the first-ever passenger train journey on April 16, 1853, from Bori Bunder to Thane, covering a distance of 34 km. Over the years, Indian Railways has evolved into one of the world's busiest and most intricate networks, connecting the nation's vast expanse and facilitating the movement of billions of passengers and goods annually. While many are familiar with the extensive reach and operational prowess of Indian Railways, there are several lesser-known facts that add layers of fascination to this colossal transportation system. India's Fastest Train: Tearing through the tracks at a breathtaking speed of 180 kmph, the Vande Bharat Express stands as a testament to India's engineering prowess. In stark contrast, the Mettupalayam-Ooty Nilgiri passenger train chugs along at a leisurely pace of 10 kmph, offering passengers a scenic journey through the picturesque landscapes of southern India. Train with the Longest Route: Embarking on an epic journey spanning 4286 km, the Vivek Express traverses the length of the Indian subcontinent, connecting the northeastern town of Dibrugarh to the southern tip of Kanyakumari. Clocking in around 82 hours and 30 minutes, this transcontinental voyage is not just the longest in India but also holds its place as one of the most remarkable train journeys in the world. Longest Railway Platform in India: Stretching over a staggering 1366 meters, the platform at Gorakhpur Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh stands as a colossal testament to Indian Railways' engineering marvels. Surpassing the previous record held by Kharagpur station, this mammoth platform offers a glimpse into the grandeur and scale of India's railway infrastructure. First Electric Train in India: Rewinding to the annals of history, the first sparks of electrification in Indian Railways ignited on February 3, 1925. The inaugural run of the electric train between Bombay Victoria Terminal and Kurla Harbour heralded a new era of modernization in India's transportation sector, paving the way for future advancements and expansions. First Bullet Train in India: Anticipation mounts as India gears up to embrace the future of high-speed rail travel with the impending launch of its first bullet train. Set to debut in 2027, the Mumbai to Ahmedabad bullet train promises to revolutionize intercity connectivity, reducing travel times and ushering in a new era of efficiency and comfort. As we celebrate Indian Rail Transport Day 2024, let us not only reflect on the rich tapestry of achievements woven by Indian Railways but also look forward to the boundless possibilities that lie ahead. From the thundering locomotives traversing the length and breadth of the nation to the silent whispers of progress echoed through electrification and high-speed rail, Indian Railways continues to remain the lifeline of a nation in motion. World Voice Day: What Is the Quest for Vocal Wellness?

Assam: People offer prayers at temples on Bohag Bihu in Dibrugarh

The News Mill

PM Modi fulfils all guarantees he gives, says Sonowal on BJP election manifesto

PM Modi fulfils all guarantees he gives, says Sonowal on BJP election manifesto Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from Dibrugarh Lok Sabha seat Sarbanand Sonowal said it is clear after 10 years of his rule that Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfils whatever guarantees he gives. It is clear that with what PM Modi did in 10 years, people believe that PM Modi will be able to do this too (guarantees in 2024 manifesto). He fulfils the guarantees he gives, Sonowal said in an exclusive interview with ANI after BJP released it election manifesto on Sunday. Everyone feels proud that India has a unique and respectable identity before the world. Guarantees in Sankalp Patra will be fulfilled. Every section of society will be benefited, he added. On maintaining peace in the Northeast, former Chief Minister of Assam Sonowal said, I have myself seen what condition the Congress party had created in the North East earlier...This region, which was full of wealth, power and potential, was ruined by the misrule of the Congress party and their corrupt practices and discrimination policy...Due to this, the North East had to lag behind a lot, but due to the facilities and support given to the North East in the last 10 years during Modi ji's tenure, the North East has woken up. Today, the identity of the North East is not only in the country but this region has established its identity all over the world, he added. BJP candidate from Dibrugarh Sonowal further told ANI, The Prime Minister directed every Union Minister to visit the North East. Within 10 years, the Prime Minister himself visited the North East more than 64 times and that's why the people of the North East have started feeling that Modi ji has done a lot for us, to take us forward... The people of North East have a lot of faith in Modi ji and it has been promised that the Armed Forces Special Power Act will also be withdrawn in a phased manner. This is a precious gift given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the people of the northeast.. Sonowal alleged that Congress has miserably failed in the last 60 years in North East.. Speaking on the removal of AFSPA in the poll manifesto, Sonowal said, We will continue our efforts to address the issues in the disturbed areas and remove AFSPA in a phased manner. We will further work toward resolution of inter-state border disputes amongst Northeastern states through sustained efforts. On the proposal of 'One Nation, One Election', Sonowal said, It is a very good idea...I welcome it. Every citizen of the country is waiting for this thing to happen. It will be possible because PM Modi can do this as someone who has loyalty, honesty, ability and the biggest quality of hard work. He can take big decisions, I think that in the last 10 years whatever decision has been taken, whatever step has been taken by PM Modi every step, every decision has proved successful and it will be the same in the coming days too... (ANI)

People ready to give AAP a chance in Assam as they are fed up with Congress, BJP: Kaundinya

People ready to give AAP a chance in Assam as they are fed up with Congress, BJP: Kaundinya Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Sonitpur Lok Sabha candidate Rishiraj Kaundinya claimed that the people are fed up with the brand of politics of Congress and BJP, and are ready to give his party a chance in Assam. Kaundinya also claimed that the opposition's attempt to unite against the BJP in all the Lok Sabha seats in Assam failed due to Congress and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP). The AAP candidate exuded confidence in winning the Sonitpur constituency, maintaining that people want a change after having ''lost their faith in both Congress and BJP''. ''People have seen only three things since independence here increase in prices of commodities, increase in minister's assets and increase of people's misery,'' he told PTI in an interview. The AAP candidate said, ''Building roads is not real development. Improvement in the condition of people is real development.'' Kaundinya claimed that no Lok Sabha MP from this constituency after Purna Narayan Sinha, who was elected from here in 1977 as a Janata Party candidate, has been able to present the issues of the area convincingly in Parliament or undertake any major initiative. Taking a covert hit at BJP candidate Ranjit Dutta from Sonitpur, Kaundinya said, ''The youth want change. The people in the BJP are senior people, they have been in politics for long and have been minister also. But they have not done anything noteworthy for the people.'' He maintained that the people of the constituency who have visited Delhi, Punjab and other parts of the country have seen the development taking place there, and wants it replicated in their state too. ''Unemployment is a problem here. So, people are working in Delhi, Punjab. They have seen development there, there is no electricity bill, medical care is free, buses for women are free, etc. They want a government which can give them these things here also,'' he said. Referring to Congress members and leaders joining the BJP here, including the chief minister who is a former member of the grand old party, Kaundinya said, ''BJP was an independent party which is filled with Congress people now. The same people who were ruining the country as Congressmen earlier are now putting up a facade of saving the country.'' The AAP Sonitpur candidate said, ''People don't have faith in them and want a new party which will work for them.'' He claimed that the opposition's attempt to unite against the BJP in all the Lok Sabha seats in Assam failed due to Congress and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP). Kaundinya said the AAP was committed for a united opposition as evident from it conceding seats to Congress in Delhi and Punjab, where his party is in power, and taking back candidate in Goa. ''In Assam also, AAP took back its candidate from the prestigious Guwahati seat, from where our state president was nominated. It was for the sake of United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA),'' he said. The UOFA, a multi-party platform, was formed in the state last year to field common candidates against the BJP in the Lok Sabha election, but the alliance has pitched its nominees against each other in several constituencies. The AAP, a member of the UOFA, is contesting from Sonitpur and Dibrugarh, which also have Congress' Premlal Gunju and AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi as candidates respectively. Highlighting that the state Congress chief and AJP chief are the UOFA president and secretary respectively, Kaundinya said, ''The Congress gave candidates in 13 seats, and the secretary is himself the candidate from the 14th seat. The president and secretary of UOFA divided the seats among themselves and left nothing for the partners. We feel they want to directly help the BJP. The forum fell apart due to them, not us.'' There are a total of eight candidates in the fray in Sonitpur, which goes to the polls on April 19.

Assam: Wife of doctor held in child abuse case, husband absconding

DIBRUGARH: In a shocking case of alleged child abuse, police in Dibrugarh district of Assam apprehended Boby Kalita, wife of Dr Debojit Dutta, on suspicion of physically mistreating their underage domestic helper over an extended period. Raju Bahadur Chetry, officer-in-charge of Dibrugarh Sadar police station in Assam, stated that the arrest followed complaints from concerned [] The post Assam: Wife of doctor held in child abuse case, husband absconding appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Punjab CM Mann Woos Assam, Promises to Raise Daily Wages to Rs 450

Guwahati: Punjab chief minister Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during a 'huge rally' in favour of the AAP candidate ahead of Lok Sabha polls, in Digboi, Assam, April 12, 2024. (PTI Photo), who on Saturday took out a large roadshow at Biswanath in support of AAP candidate for the Lok Sabha elections, has promised to increase daily wages in the state from Rs. 250 to Rs. 450 per day. AAP is contesting Lok Sabha elections from two constituencies in Assam - Dibrugarh and Sonitpur. Recalling many similarities between the people of Assam and Punjab, Mr Mann launched a scathing attack on Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stating since Mr Sarmas wife owns private schools in the state, the BJP govt is not interested in improving government schools. Punjab CM said, In 2015, BJP leader Amit Shah had declared Mr Sarma as the most corrupt person. But after joining the BJP, today the same person has become innocent for the BJP. He went on saying, The BJP just lies about everything. Their every statement is just a jumla. Mr Mann while addressing a series of public meetings for AAP candidates said that electricity is absolutely free in Punjab and 90 percent of the households in Punjab get zero electricity bills. Besides this, Aam Aadmi Clinics are functioning in Punjab where all kinds of treatment is free. If given a chance, we will do the same things for Assam as well, he promised. Mr Mann said that the BJP thinks that by putting AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal in jail, they can finish the AAP but they are mistaken. You can arrest Arvind Kejriwal, but how will you arrest his thinking ? Arvind Kejriwal is not just a person, he is an idea, he added. He appealed to the people to vote for the AAP candidates and elect them as their representatives in the parliament. The Punjab CM also said that there is a very old relationship between Assam and Punjab. Our first Guru, Guru Nanak Dev, and ninth Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur, visited Assam. There are gurdwara sahibs here, he added. It is significant that AAP is leaving no stone unturned to make their presence felt in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in Assam. Earlier, AAP leader Atishi, during her visit to Assam, exuded confidence about her party opening an account in the state in the Lok Sabha elections. Given the positivity that exists for AAP, given the kind of love and support that AAP has always gotten from the people of Assam...One would never have expected that AAP would win municipal seats in Tinsukia...People across the state of Assam know about AAP, know about Arvind Kejriwal and know about the work we have done. The two seats that we are contesting are Dibrugarh & Sonitpur. We are strongly in the fight and I feel AAP will open its account in Assam, said Ms Atishi.

5 Facts About Sarbananda Sonowal, BJP Candidate From Assam's Dibrugarh

Former Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is the BJP candidate from Dibrugarh seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Mr Sonowal, who's also a Union Minister, represented the constituency in 2004. The BJP dropped Rameshwar Teli to pick Mr Sonowal.

Lok Sabha battle: BJP's Sarbananda Sonowal eyes victory in Dibrugarh as Assam heads to polls in first phase

The bustling streets of Dibrugarh, Assam, are not just alive with the vibrant Bihu festival but also with the fervor of electoral politics. The upcoming polls on April 19, as part of the state's first phase, are particularly significant with BJP's Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, entering the fray. Sonowal expresses gratitude for the opportunity and confidence in PM Modi's leadership. The contest in Dibrugarh is set to be a triangular one, with AAP's Manoj Dhanowar also in the race, but the main battle is expected between Sonowal and Lurinjyoti Gogoi of AJP.

Travel tips: Want to enjoy elephant safari, these sanctuaries are waiting for you

People are looking for a place to travel where they can go with their family and everyone can feel happy. In such a situation, people are very fond of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, where everyone, be it children or old people, becomes happy. Nowadays jungle safari is enjoyed in these sanctuaries. Now just imagine what a wonderful feeling it would be if you enjoyed it while sitting on an elephant. This is an experience that every person should have once in a lifetime. Today in this episode, we are going to tell you about some such sanctuaries of the country where wildlife lovers can take the help of Elephant Safari to see the forest and wild animals closely. Let us know about these places... Corbett National Park Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest national park in India. This national park located in Uttarakhand is especially known for tigers but elephants can also be seen here in large numbers. Tourists come here from every corner of the world. If you want to see elephants then you should go on this jungle safari in the evening. Some experienced guides also live here who can give you accurate information about the habits of the animals and their daily routine. Kaziranga National Park We all have heard about Kaziranga National Park. This place is famous for the one-horned rhinoceros. Two-thirds of these species are found in this sanctuary. But Kaziranga is also famous for elephants and elephant safari. The safari starts early in the morning and you can enjoy this safari for half an hour. A wide range of wildlife and bio-diversity can be seen in Kaziranga. Here you can see Indian elephants, and unicorns and also enjoy elephant safari. Kanha National Park Kanha National Park located in Madhya Pradesh is also known for elephants where you can enjoy elephant safari. Apart from tigers, the number of elephants in this park is quite high. Many such rare species of animals will be found in Kanha. Rare animal species like the wolf, chinkara, Indian pangolin, plains Indian otter, and Indian miniature cat can be seen in the eastern corner of the park. Bandhavgarh National Park To enjoy jungle safari riding on elephants, you can plan to visit Bandhavgarh National Park of Madhya Pradesh. By riding in a jeep in Bandhavgarh, you can also see animals strolling in the forest, whereas here the fun of elephant safari doubles. Bandipur National Park Bandipur National Park was created in 1974 and is one of the most beautiful national parks in Karnataka. Tiger, leopard, Indian elephant gray langur, etc. can be seen here. Along with these animals, red-headed vultures, kingfishers, hoopoes, etc. will be seen on the elephant safari. Bandipur is 240 km away from Bangalore. Periyar National Park Periyar National Park of Kerala is special for the conservation of both tigers and elephants. You will see these two animals at this place. This sanctuary is located in the Western Ghats. Many beautiful birds like Nilgiri Wood Pigeons, Blue Winged Parakeets, Nilgiri Flycatchers, etc. can be seen on Elephant Safari. Pench National Park Pench National Park, located in the southern part of Satpura Hills, attracts tourists due to the presence of many rare creatures. This park is located on the southern border of Madhya Pradesh, near Maharashtra. Coming here and sitting on an elephant, the experience of jungle safari is very special. Dibru Saikhowa National Park Saikhowa National Park, located in Dibrugarh, Assam, was created primarily for the conservation of the white-winged swan. Later the national park became famous for its wild horses and dazzling white-winged ducks. More than 350 species of birds are found here. Riding on an elephant and seeing the beautiful views of the forest is an interesting experience in itself. Manas National Park The rarest wild animals are found in Manas National Park located in Guwahati, Assam. This national park is included in the World Heritage. Tourists come from far and wide to see these rare creatures and you can also enjoy a jungle safari by riding on an elephant here. (PC: Lifeberrys)

AJP, AAP masquerading as Congress, alleges Sonowal

Guwahati, April 12: Senior BJP leader Sarbananda Sonowal, who is contesting from Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency in the upcoming general elections, on Thursday campaigned in areas under Upper Assams Digboi LAC, mincing no words to lambast the Congress for turning a deaf ear to the pleas of the people of Assam for more than six [] The post AJP, AAP masquerading as Congress, alleges Sonowal appeared first on The Shillong Times .

Paresh Baruah should be welcomed back with respect: Brother Bikul Baruah

Paresh Baruah should be welcomed back with respect: Brother Bikul Baruah ULFA (Independent) leader Paresh Baruah should return home with ''due respect and not without realising his goals and aspirations for the people of Assam'', his brother Bikul Baruah said. ''He has a goal, we do not agree with it but he has spent nearly 45 years pursuing it. We want him to come home but he should not return empty-handed without achieving what he aspired for the people'', Bikul Baruah told PTI in an interview at the family home here under Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency. Asked about the pro-talk ULFA faction's accord with the government, the ULFA(I) chief's youngest sibling said, ''We do not want him to come back with just a rehabilitation package like his earlier comrades have done''. ''The accord signed is not in the interest of the people of the state and even the common people are aware that it has been for their personal interest. The leaders of the pro-talk faction are facing so much criticism and they have not been able to keep their stand before the people and the Assamese society'', he claimed. Thousands of people have lost their lives during the decades-long ULFA issue but ''these leaders accepted just a package. If they had to accept only this, it could have been done much earlier and many lives would have been saved. Was the package the aim of their so-called movement'', Baruah asked. Paresh Baruah is ''answerable to the people of the state as so many people have died and there must be some return for their blood'', Bikul Baruah said. A tripartite agreement was signed between the pro-talk ULFA, central and state government in December last year and subsequently, this faction was disbanded in January. Paresh Baruah's aspirations for the people of Assam is ''different from ours but the ULFA leaders had given the government certain demands. It is the people's right to make a demand and the government's to consider it'', he said, sitting below a framed picture of his elder brother. ''A give and take policy should be followed by both sides to arrive at a solution which is in the interest of the people of Assam and just not a package for personal interest'', he added. ''We want dialogue, negotiations must take place and a solution must be arrived at which will be long-standing and in the best interest of the people and the state'', the teacher at the primary school, where the senior Baruah had studied, said. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken the initiative for dialogue since assuming office and has said several times in the media that the channel for communication with Paresh Barua is open, he said. ''Our brother has also responded positively, there is peace in the state now and we are also hopeful of a solution'', he added. ''The peace process, however, should not be hurried and all aspects must be taken into account in the interest of the state and its people'', Baruah said The ULFA(I) chief's primary demand is Assam's 'sovereignty' which Sarma had said he cannot discuss as a chief minister, having taken the oath of office on the country's constitution Baruah had left home in 1979 when the younger sibling was a student of Class 8 and the latter has fond memories of his football-playing elder brother taking him to several matches played at different parts of Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts as a railway employee. ''It has been a long time since he left home and since then my parents have died and my elder brother Dinesh Baruah was killed in 1994. We have no contact with him and this is painful'', he said. Baruah's mother Miliki Baruah during her lifetime had issued media statements calling for peace and dialogue but ''she died with the unfulfilled wish of seeing her son (Paresh Baruah) again''. ''We have suffered a lot of pain and harassment over the years but we have accepted it as a part of our lives'', he added. The school teacher of Jerai Chokoli Bhoria Primary School, established in 1940, also gave a tour of the school where the ULFA(I) chief had initially studied and his name is still there in the admission register with his date of birth as April 15, 1957, and the date of admission as February 2, 1962.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi likely to campaign in Assam for second phase of Lok Sabha elections

GUWAHATI: Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to visit Nagaon in Assam on April 20 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Voting in Assam will occur over three phases, scheduled for April 19, April 26 and May 07 respectively. Priyanka Gandhi is also likely to participate in election rallies in Jorhat and Dibrugarh constituencies [] The post Congress leader Rahul Gandhi likely to campaign in Assam for second phase of Lok Sabha elections appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Union Minister Sonowal says Citizenship Amendment Act no longer a contentious issue in the Northeast

Union minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, said that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is no longer a contentious issue in the Northeast. Talking to ETs Bikash Singh, Sonowal, who is contesting from Dibrugarh, said people understand how they were misled by the opposition as the CAA does not pose any threat to Indian citizens and there would be no impact on the indigenous people of the Northeast.

Sonowal's campaign trail: Paying obeisance at 'namghar', highlighting BJP's initiatives

Union Minister Sonowal campaigns in Dibrugarh, connecting with diverse Assam electorate, emphasizing infrastructural facilities, spiritual practices, and public meetings to highlight BJP's initiatives and development agenda.

Demise of ATASU leader

HT Correspondent DEMOW, April 10: Hemanga Barua (28), son of Bichitra Barua, a resident of Demow Kushal Path and an ATASU leader, passed away at a hospital in Dibrugarh on Tuesday early morning. Hemanga Barua was suffering from jaundice. The ATASU, Demow Regional Committee deeply condoled his demise and extended their deepest condolences to the []

NFR announces summer special trains to ease passenger rush

HT Bureau GUWAHATI, April 10: In a bid to clear the extra rush of passengers, it has been decided to run two fortnightly summer special trains between Nagercoil Jn Dibrugarh Nagercoil Jn. The summer special trains bearing no 06103/06104 (Nagercoil Jn. Dibrugarh Nagercoil Jn) & 06105/06106 (Nagercoil Jn Dibrugarh []

BJP 'openly' violating poll code but EC not acting: Atishi

Senior AAP leader Atishi on Wednesday alleged that the BJP was openly violating the model code of conduct and the Election Commission was not acting against it, affecting the level-playing field in the Lok Sabha polls. In an interview to PTI, she said the AAP was hopeful of opening its account in Assam where the party has fielded candidates in two seats -- Dibrugarh and Sonitpur, which are going to the polls in the first phase on April 19.

Assam: BJP worker dies after collapsing while dancing at election rally in Tinsukia

Dibrugarh:: A BJP worker, who was vice president of the BJP minority morcha of Tinsukia district fell unconscious while dancing before the election campaign at Manav Kalyan Bhawan on Wednesday. He was rushed to Tinsukia Civil Hospital but succumbed to his illness. An election campaign meeting of BJP MP Manoj Tiwari was organised at the [] The post Assam: BJP worker dies after collapsing while dancing at election rally in Tinsukia appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

AJP chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi criticizes CAA as unacceptable to Assam's indigenous community

AJP chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi criticizes CAA as unacceptable to Assam's indigenous community The indigenous people of Assam can never accept the CAA, which will be a critical issue in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, asserted Dibrugarh parliamentary constituency's opposition candidate Lurinjyoti Gogoi. The illegal influx of foreigners has been a long-standing cause for concern in Assam, and the BJP has now legalised it with this act, which is unacceptable to the people, Gogoi told PTI in an interview, amid campaigning here. ''Assam has borne the burden of illegal foreigners till 1971, and now, another 43 years till 2014 has been added to it, he said. ''How can the people accept this? There was a long-drawn agitation in the state against illegal influx and with the CAA, the identity of the Assamese is at stake, Gogoi claimed. The United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA) had announced Gogoi, the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president, as the candidate for the Dibrugarh Lok Sabha seat, from where Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal is contesting as a BJP nominee. The Centre had in March implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, notifying the rules four years after the law was passed by Parliament to fast-track citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014. The CAA is completely motivated, communal and unconstitutional, and a ploy of the BJP to burden Assam and its resources further, Gogoi alleged. ''Our constitution has the principle of secularism enshrined in it, but the act is based on religious division, he claimed. The opposition parties have been protesting against the CAA, and this is a very serious and dangerous issue, which will also have an economic, social, cultural and linguistic impact on the people of the state, the AJP chief said. The people of Assam are very concerned about it, and that will reflect in the ensuing polls, he said. Gogoi, as the general secretary of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), was at the forefront of the anti-CAA agitation in the state when it was enacted in December 2019. The CAA stir subsequently led to the formation of two political parties in 2020 the AJP, with Gogoi as its president, and the Raijor Dal, led by Akhil Gogoi. Lurinjyoti Gogoi is locked in a triangular contest in Dibrugarh against BJP's Sonowal and Aam Aadmi Party's Manoj Dhanowar. On both him and Sonowal having their roots in the AASU, he said, ''Yes, we are from the students organisation, but Sonowal compromised on its ideology of asserting the rights of the indigenous population''. ''I am following AASU's original principles and fighting for the betterment of people by trying to resolve many unresolved issues like the National Register of Citizens (NRC), implementation of the Assam Accord and the states linguistic and cultural identity, he said. Sonowal has ''diverted from this path and compromised with the communal forces for his political benefit'', Gogoi alleged. People will give Sonowal a befitting reply in the elections, he said. Asked about Dibrugarh once being the hub of insurgency activities, the opposition leader said that without ULFA (Independent) leader Paresh Barua, the recently signed peace accord with the pro-talk faction of the outfit has no meaning. For any peace talks with the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), the presence of Paresh Barua is a must, Gogoi asserted. Talking about the tea garden workers, which constitute over 30 per cent of Dibrugarhs electorate, the AJP president said the BJP made many promises to them, but failed to fulfil those. ''They have not even paid the promised daily wage of Rs 351 to the workers, and there is a strong resentment among them due to this, he said. Tea is a major industry in Assam and ''we are committed to resolve the issues of the stakeholders so that the quality, production and the condition of the workers improve, Gogoi said. Gogoi had earlier unsuccessfully contested in two constituencies under the Dibrugarh parliamentary seat in the last assembly elections.

After promising to resolve foreigners' issue, BJP implemented CAA: Atishi

MARGHERITA (Assam): The BJP had promised to resolve the foreigners issue in Assam but instead they have implemented the CAA to provide Indian citizenship to those who came to the country from outside illegally, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi said here on Tuesday. Assam witnessed a six-year-long agitation since 1979 demanding identification and deportation of illegal immigrants. Infiltration has been a major poll issue in the state for several decades. We oppose the implementation of CAA and the BJP's policy of misleading people, Atishi said at a rally here. The CAA was implemented recently to grant citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014. The Delhi minister has been on a three-day visit to Assam since Monday to campaign for the two AAP candidates contesting in the two constituencies of Dibrugarh and Sonitpur. She was campaigning for the party's Dibrugarh candidate Manoj Dhanowar here. On one hand, the BJP says that it will drive out the illegal foreigners and, on the other, it implemented the CAA to give citizenship and land to foreigners, Atishi said. She appealed to the people of Dibrugarh to vote for the AAP candidate for the sake of development and against the BJP's anti-people policies. In Assam, more than 8,000 schools have been closed on the plea that children are mostly admitted to private schools. These schools, however, have been closed as the state government has failed to provide the required infrastructural facilities, Atishi alleged. She assured the people of Dibrugarh that if the AAP candidate is elected, the constituency will have quality schools and mohalla clinics like Delhi. The AAP leader later also held a roadshow in Tinsukia town.

Assam: Congress sowing seeds of division along religious lines, says Sonowal

DIBRUGARH: Senior BJP leader and former Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched a scathing attack on the opposition while seeking support for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections at public gatherings on Tuesday (April 09). Sarbananda Sonowal has accused the Congress-led opposition in Assam of sowing seeds of division along religious lines. Addressing gatherings, Sarbananda Sonowal [] The post Assam: Congress sowing seeds of division along religious lines, says Sonowal appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Assam: 15 out of 35 candidates contesting first phase Lok sabha polls are crorepatis

Guwahati: Fifteen out of the 35 candidates contesting from the five Lok Sabha seats in Assam are crorepatis, an analysis of their affidavits said. Elections to Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Kaziranga, and Sonitpur will be held in the first phase on April 19. Data released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) revealed a multifaceted [] The post Assam: 15 out of 35 candidates contesting first phase Lok sabha polls are crorepatis appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Assam: ULFA-I chief Paresh Baruahs brother joins BJPs ally AGP

DIBRUGARH: Bimal Baruah, elder brother of ULFA-I chief Paresh Baruah, officially joined the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), an ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam, during a programme held at Chabua on Tuesday (April 09). Bimal Baruah, who serves as a councillor of the Matak Autonomous Council, participated in a joining ceremony [] The post Assam: ULFA-I chief Paresh Baruahs brother joins BJPs ally AGP appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Dibrugarh Lok Sabha Seat AAP Candidate Manoj Dhanowar

Manoj Dhanowar News: Lok , , AAP ,

AJPs Lurinjyoti Gogoi leads UOFs election campaign in Margherita

HT Correspondent MARGHERITA, April 8: On Monday, Lurin Jyoti Gogoi, the president of Assam Jatiya Parishad and the candidate representing the United Opposition Forum (UOF) for the 13th Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency, embarked on an election campaign across various locales within the 83rd Margherita Constituency. Accompanying Lurinjyoti Gogoi were notable figures such as Sanjay Kumar []

Assam: AAPleader Atishi Marlena leads massive road show in Duliajan

Dibrugarh: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhis Education Minister Atishi Marlena spearheaded a mega roadshow at Duliajan town in Assam on Monday, rallying support for Manoj Dhanowar, the AAP candidate vying for the Dibrugarh Lok Sabha seat. Many AAP supporters joined the procession, traversing through Duliajan town while proudly brandishing party flags and chanting [] The post Assam: AAPleader Atishi Marlena leads massive road show in Duliajan appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

If Kejriwal joins BJP, he will be released in a day: Atishi

Dibrugarh: If jailed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal joins BJP, he will be released within a single day, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi said here on Monday. The AAP national convenor is currently in judicial custody in a money laundering case linked with an alleged excise scam. Also ReadExcise policy: ED questions Kejriwals PA, Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

If Arvind Kejriwal joins BJP, he will be released in a day: Atishi

Atishi of AAP expressed confidence in Kejriwal's integrity and urged Dibrugarh to vote for AAP's candidate, emphasizing the party's commitment to honesty in politics and improving local infrastructure and wages. Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 after the high court refused to grant him protection from coercive action by the federal anti-money laundering agency.

Assam: AJP releases Lok Sabha elections manifesto

DIBRUGARH: The Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) unveiled its election manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on Monday (April 08). AJPs general secretary, Jagadish Bhuyan, presented the manifesto in Dibrugarh, outlining the partys commitments for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. While focusing on addressing specific issues within the Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency in Assam, the [] The post Assam: AJP releases Lok Sabha elections manifesto appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Crusaders against two contrasting laws face off in Assams Dibrugarh

BJP heavyweight Sarbananda Sonowal fought a legal battle to scrap the allegedly pro-migrant IM(DT) Act while his united Opposition rival Lurinjyoti Gogoi wants the CAA to go

Himanta says NDA facing no contest in first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Assam

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is not facing any contest in the five seats in the state going to Lok Sabha elections in the first phase on April 19. He said the NDA is facing a contest only in two of the states 14 seats. The BJP is contesting 11 seats while its allies, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United Peoples Party Liberal, are contesting in two seats and one seat respectively. There is no competition in the five seats going to polls in the first phase. We have a competition in one seat in the second phase and one seat in the third phase, Sarma told journalists on Monday. But we are in the lead if you calculate the votes of 2021 Assembly elections based on (last years) delimitation of constituencies, he added. An NDA election in Northeast this time The five seats going to polls in the first phase are Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Kaziranga and Sonitpur. The BJP is contesting all of these seats. Sarma did not name the two constituencies where the NDA is facing a contest but the opposition parties are expected to give the ruling coalition a run for its money in Jorhat, Nagaon and Dhubri seats. Toughest battle The NDA is facing the toughest battle in Jorhat where the BJPs Topon Kumar Gogoi, who is the sitting MP, will vie against Congress biggie Gaurav Gogoi. Some ministers are frequently visiting the constituency for campaigning. Sarma is leading the poll campaign here. It's Gogoi vs Gogoi in 'silent' election in Jorhat The BJPs Suresh Bora is pitted against the Congress Pradyut Bordoloi and the All India United Democratic Fronts (AIUDF) Aminul Islam in a triangular contest in Nagaon. Bordoloi is the sitting MP while Islam is an MLA, representing the Dhing constituency falling under the Nagaon parliamentary seat. In Dhubri, the contest is expected between AIUDF chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, who is the sitting MP, and Rokibul Hussain of the Congress. The BJP allowed the AGP to contest from the seat as per their seat-sharing arrangement. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit the state on Tuesday for campaigning. He will address a rally in Lakhimpur. The BJPs Pradan Baruah is the sitting MP and he is seeking re-election for the third straight term. Later in the day, Shah will take part in a road show in Tinsukia town falling under the Dibrugarh parliamentary seat. Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal is up against the Assam Jatiya Parishads Lurinjyoti Gogoi and the Aam Aadmi Partys Manoj Dhanowar here. INTERVIEW| CAA won't impact Assam's indigenous people; IMDT was discriminatory: Union Minister Sonowal Assam BJP aims for Muslim votes, highlights development in Muslim areas

Tea garden workers: The deciding factor in Lok Sabha polls in Assam

Tea garden workers: The deciding factor in Lok Sabha polls in Assam As Assam gears up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections unfolding in three phases, the focus intensifies on the tea garden workers, a significant voter base poised to influence the outcomes in at least three of the five constituencies contesting in the first phase. There are more than 70 lakh tea tribe community people across the state, including around 10 lakh workers in the organized sector working in 856 tea estates. Assam produces around 55 per cent of India's tea. This demographic, integral to the state's identity and economy, could be pivotal in shaping the electoral battle in Dibrugarh, Kaziranga, and Sonitpur, with Jorhat also seeing a substantial number of tea tribe voters. Amid this electoral fervour, political parties, notably the BJP and Congress, are actively courting the support of the tea tribe community, a move that underscores the community's potential to sway the electoral results in these regions. The people of the tea tribe community have been facing lots of problems since independence. Bhaskar Kalindi, a former leader of the Assam Tea Tribes Students' Association (ATTSA), said that there are around 55 lakh tea tribe community voters across the state, and most of the tea tribe community voters are in Dibrugarh, Kaziranga, Jorhat, Sonitpur Lok Sabha seats. The current BJP government in Assam has increased the daily wage of tea garden labourers to Rs 251, and we request the government to increase it more. I am a tea tribe community youth. Earlier, the road connectivity in the tea garden areas was very poor. Now the road connectivity has improved, and the state's current government has established schools and Anganwadi centres in the tea garden areas. During the Congress regime, there was nothing. This government has also declared a holiday on our festival Karam Puja Day, Kalindi told ANI. He further said that tea garden voters will become a major factor in this election in at least three parliamentary constituencies in the state. Earlier, the tea garden labourers had received their wage in cash, but the current government has opened bank accounts against each worker. Earlier, the workers did not have any bank accounts. The people of the tea garden areas are now very happy with the work done by the current government, Kalindi said further. He also said that the Assam government has also made reservations for tea garden people in government jobs. If the government will give ST status to the tea tribe community, then we will be more happy, Bhaskar Kalindi said. Ashar Orang, a tea tribe community voter, said that Congress had ruled for 70 years, and there was no development of the tea tribe community people. But the BJP-led government is gradually working for the development of this community people. People are now getting benefits. The current government is also focusing on development in the education sector in the tea garden areas, Orang said while speaking to ANI. Talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ashar Orang said that not only the tea tribe community but the Prime Minister is also working for the development of all sections of people. On the other hand, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Atul Bora, who is also the local MLA of Bokakhat assembly constituency under the Kaziranga Lok Sabha seat, told ANI that the tea garden community people were the vote bank of Congress, and they didn't do anything for the development of these people. There are still many issues, but our government under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has resolved many problems of the tea garden people. Now the tea garden people are very happy with the work done by this government, Atul Bora said. My constituency is a tea garden workers-dominated constituency. In today's meeting, thousands of tea garden people arrived to see the Chief Minister. The NDA candidate for the Kaziranga parliamentary constituency is also a tea garden community person, he added. Assam Congress leader, Rituparna Konwar, claimed that a lot of work had been done during the Congress government's tenure in the state and that the current BJP government, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, had failed to increase tea garden workers' daily wages. During our regime, we did a lot of development works for tea tribe community people. Our government did socio-economic upliftment of the tea tribe community. Congress never used the tea tribe community as a vote bank. We increased their political representation, Rituparna Konwar told ANI. In this election, Congress has given the party tickets to two candidates who belong to the tea tribe community, but BJP has fielded only one, he said. The BJP-led government sold state-owned tea gardens in Assam to private companies and the government has failed to increase the daily wage of the tea garden workers, he alleged. In this Lok Sabha election in Assam, the BJP is contesting in 11 out of 14 seats, while its ally parties, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), are contesting in two seats (Barpeta and Dhubri), and UPPL in one seat (Kokrajhar), respectively. Elections for the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam will take place in three phases on April 19, April 26, and May 7. In the Lok Sabha elections of 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 7 of the 14 seats in Assam. Both the Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) claimed three seats each. During the 2019 elections, the BJP increased its seat count to 9, while the Congress maintained its three seats, and the AIUDF won a single seat. (ANI)

Ahead of LS polls, Assam CM campaigns in Dibrugarh

Dibrugarh: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday took out a roadshow in Dibrugarh to campaign in support of Dibrugarh Lok Sabha candidate Sarbananda Sonowal. Thousands of people participated in the roadshow which crossed over the main routes of Dibrugarh. Sarma is a popular BJP leader and crowds gathered in huge numbers to see [] The post Ahead of LS polls, Assam CM campaigns in Dibrugarh appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Dibrugarh Lok Sabha Seat: Why Sarbananda Sonowal's Victory Is A Forgone Conclusion

Mother of Khalistani Amritpal Singh arrested ahead of protest march demanding that the separatist be shifted from Assam jail to Punjab

Balwinder Kaur and relatives of nine of the associates lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail with Amritpal Singh have been on hunger strike since 22nd February near Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar.

Waris Punjab De chief Amritpal Singh's mother Balwinder Kaur arrested day before proposed march in his support

Amritpal, chief of the 'Waris Punjab De' outfit, was arrested in April last year and the stringent National Security Act was invoked against him. He and nine of his associates are currently lodged in Dibrugarh jail in Assam.

Poster boy of anti-CAA protest, Lurinjyoti, faces litmus test in Dibrugarh

Himanta leads roadshow in Dibrugarh

AAP pins hopes on Dhanowar to make a mark in Dibrugarh, set tone for 26 polls

Amritpal Singhs mother held day before proposed march in his support

Amritpal Singhs mother held day before proposed march in his support The mother of Amritpal Singh was arrested here on Sunday, a day before a march is to be taken out to demand that the radical Sikh preacher be shifted from Dibrugarh jail in Assam to a prison in Punjab. Amritpal, chief of the 'Waris Punjab De' outfit, was arrested in April last year and the stringent National Security Act was invoked against him. He and nine of his associates are currently lodged in Dibrugarh jail in Assam. Balwinder Kaur, the mother of Amritpal has been sent to judicial custody, Deputy Commissioner of Police Alam Vijay Singh said on Sunday. He said it was a preventive arrest but refused to divulge more details. Amritpal's uncle Sukhchain Singh and three others have also been held, police said. The development comes a day before the 'Chetna March' is scheduled to be taken out. The march was to be taken out from Takht Damdama Sahib in Bathinda on April 8 to demand that Amritpal and nine others be shifted from the jail in Assam to Punjab. Kaur and the kin of other detainees had been on a hunger strike since February 22 near the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Earlier, she had said that they would continue the hunger strike till Amritpal and other detainees were brought to a jail in Punjab. Apart from Amritpal, nine of his associates -- Daljeet Singh Kalsi, Papalpreet Singh, Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal, Varinder Singh Johal, Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, Harjit Singh, Bhagwant Singh, Basant Singh and Gurinderpal Singh Aujla -- have been booked under the NSA. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) condemned the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for the police action. Various organisers of the march have been held, including the mother of Amritpal Singh, which is condemnable, SAD spokesman Parambans Singh Romana said.

Assam: Sonowal urges public support for Modis third term as PM

Dibrugarh: Union Minister and BJPs candidate for Dibrugarh Lok Sabha in Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal has intensified his campaign efforts by addressing multiple public meetings to bolster support for the BJP in the upcoming elections. Sarbananda Sonowal engaged with the electorate at Laipuli Maranakari village, Mahakali Tea Estate, Chandmari, Manav Kalyan Puja Bhawan, and DS Marriage [] The post Assam: Sonowal urges public support for Modis third term as PM appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Political outfit of Sonowal-Kacharis joins oppn forum in Assam

Political outfit of Sonowal-Kacharis joins oppn forum in Assam A regional political outfit of the Sonowal-Kachari community on Sunday joined the United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA), a coalition of various parties in the state. The Sonowal Kachari Gana Mancha formally joined the UOFA in the presence of the forum's president and Congress' state unit chief Bhupen Kumar Borah and MLA Akhil Gogoi at Dibrugarh. Borah, in a post on X, said leaders of the Sonowal Kachari Gana Mancha, a regional political party, that has fought the election to the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council earlier, held a meeting with him and Gogoi, who heads the Raijor Dal. ''A team led by Mancha General Secretary Shri Gopal Sonowal discussed the political situation in five Lok Sabha constituencies--Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Kaziranga--and promised their support. This marks their formal entry into the United Opposition Forum - Assam,'' the state Congress chief wrote on the micro-blogging site. The UOFA was formed as a 16-party forum last year to fight the Lok Sabha elections unitedly against the BJP-led coalition in the state. However, the member parties have now pitted candidates against each other in several constituencies.

INTERVIEW| CAA won't impact Assam's indigenous people; IMDT was discriminatory: Union Minister Sonowal

GUWAHATI: Union Minister and BJP candidate in Dibrugarh, Sarbananda Sonowal, expressed confidence on Sunday in the party securing a third term and reaching the 400-seat target set for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Speaking about the Citizenship Amendment Act, the former Assam CM said that it won't impact the identity of indigenous people in the state and accused the Congress of deliberately spreading false news to create an atmosphere of fear. Excerpts from the interview: What is your sense of the elections this time in Assam and the country? The people are seeing transformations that were not present under the 60-year rule of the Congress. The BJP ensured this development through its commitment, dedication and honest efforts. Now, India holds the position of fifth largest economy under the BJP, whereas India stood in tenth place when the Congress was in power. This massive growth was achieved only because of PM Modi's governance. I believe thats the reason why people are very happy. No matter which party is in power in the state, the BJP's universal policy of 'Sabka saath, Sabka vikash' worked. Peoples happiness will be reflected in this election. Thats why, we are saying very confidently, 'Iss baar 400 paar'. How does it feel to contest the election from Dibrugarh considering that your maiden entry into parliament was from this seat? This is homecoming. When you are a member of a national political party, you have to be committed all the time and be ready to serve in any part of the country. So, I feel there is nothing exceptional. Dibrugarh has a lot of Adivasi voters. Do you have any worries that you replaced your colleague and incumbent MP, Rameswar Teli, who is an Adivasi, as the candidate? I have no worries because we are all members of a the same party. Whatever the party decides, you have to follow it. There are distinctive policies in our party and we always admire, adopt and implement them. Thats why, I was made the chief minister the last time and then, a central minister. We have to respect the partys decisions. The critics say the BJP had won the last two polls riding on Modis popularity but that popularity has now waned. So, is the 400-seat target a realistic number? The 400-seat target is the number set for the NDA. While the target for the BJP alone is set at 370 seats. We have powerful allies; it is possible. I believe the credibility of the BJP and its allies is being witnessed by the people of the country. Peoples marks will be in favour of us because they have seen Congress for 60 years when there was misrule, bad governance, corrupt practices and communal, family, parochial and divide-and-rule politics, which ultimately made the country weak. India is a very resourceful country with a 1.4 billion population, but it was compelled to take the back seat in terms of development because there was a lack of policies, vision and credible leadership under Congress rule. For Congress, it is always family first before the nation's development and that is the key difference between the Congress and the BJP. The BJP is genuinely a party with a difference. With the BJP, the poorest of the poor have also been taken on board. PM Modi has given special status to the border villages and made them the first villages of the country. How do you view the CAA? You had challenged the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act or IMDT Act and the Supreme Court repealed it. Have you compromised on your position on the issue? Not at all. CAA is a national law which will allow religiously persecuted persons (from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan) to live in the country and the whole nation will take the burden of it, not just Assam. The Congress misinterpreted it and spread false propaganda to get political benefits. CAA is not going to impact the identity of indigenous people. IMDT was dangerous because it was meant only for Assam and the people of the state were not taken into confidence before this Act was put into action. IMDT was discriminatory, unconstitutional and undemocratic. It was compared with foreign invasions. If IMDT were there today, no suspected foreigner could have been identified. Its provisions were dangerous because the onus of proof lied on the complainant, although there was a law, the Foreigners Act 1946, to detect illegal migrants. Thats why the IMDT was challenged in the apex court, which struck it down. Can the Ram temple consecration make any difference for the BJP in this election? Ram temple was a long-standing expectation of the people of the country. Rama is a reflection of Indian civilization, justice, social security, equality and human values. The construction of the temple has made people very happy. Millions of them rushed to the spot during and after the temples consecration and paid their respect. This has connected (people) spiritually and culturally. I believe people are happy. This will create a very good ecosystem in their mindset to talk positively about the BJP rule.

Sonowal among oldest contestants in first phase of polls in Assam

Sonowal among oldest contestants in first phase of polls in Assam Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who is contesting from Dibrugarh Lok Sabha seat, is among eight senior citizens in the fray for constituencies in Assam going to polls in the first phase on April 19. The 62-year-old Rajya Sabha MP is among the elderly contestants, with his party colleague and MLA Ranjit Dutta, who is contesting from Sonitpur, being the oldest at 67, followed by Lakhimpur's 65-year-old Congress candidate Uday Shankar Hazarika. The youngest candidate in the fray is 27-year-old Gobin Biswakarma, who is contesting as an Independent from Lakhimpur, while Republican Party of India's Kaziranga candidate Saleh Ahmed Majumdar is the second-youngest at 29. A total of 15 candidates are in their forties, including 41-year-old Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, who is contesting from Jorhat, BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa (49), who is contesting from Kaziranga, and Dibrugarh contestants Lurinjyoti Gogoi of Assam Jatiya Parishad (45) and AAP's Manoj Dhanowar (47). Nine candidates are in their fifties, including 55-year-old Topon Gogoi, the sitting MP from Jorhat, Lakhimpur's MP Pradan Baruah (58), and Congress candidate from Sonitpur, Prem Lal Ganju (53). Independent candidates Bikram Ramchiary and Deba Nath Pait, both contesting from Lakhimpur, are in their thirties, aged 32 and 33 respectively. Among the four women candidates in the fray, the eldest is 53-year-old Anima Deka Gupta of Voters Party International, followed by 43-year-old Independent contestant Dilwara Begum Chowdhury and 42-year-old Roselina Tirkey, all from Kaziranga constituency. In the first phase of polling in the state on April 19, a total of 35 candidates are in the fray for Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur constituencies.

2 former AASU leaders fight it out as Jatiya Nayak returns to his roots

DIBRUGARH : It will be a battle between two former titans of the All Assam Students Union (AASU) Sarbananda Sonowal and his much junior, Lurinjyoti Gogoi when the Dibrugarh seat goes to elections on April 19. Sonowal (61), the BJP candidate and Union minister, earned the sobriquet Jatiya Nayak (National Hero) after the Supreme Court struck down the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act in 2005, based on a petition that he filed. He was then serving as an MP of the Asom Gana Parishad, the launchpad of his political career. The Act was viewed by many as heavily tilted in favor of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Gogoi (44), the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) biggie, is fighting another battle the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). In fact, his AJP was born out of this movement in 2020. The third and last candidate in Dibrugarh is the Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) Manoj Dhanowar. The constituency clearly braces for a straight contest between Sonowal and Gogoi. It is a homecoming for Sonowal. Not only does he hail from Dibrugarh, but he also won his maiden Assembly election from Moran in Dibrugarh district in 2001 and the parliamentary election from the Dibrugarh seat in 2004. However, he lost the 2009 Lok Sabha elections from the Dibrugarh seat, giving him a sweet-bitter experience here. In 2014, he won from the adjoining Lakhimpur Lok Sabha seat and donned the chief ministers mantle after winning the 2016 Assembly elections from the Majuli seat. As for Gogoi, he is an emerging leader. He contested the 2021 Assembly elections from Duliajan and Naharkatia seats in the backdrop of the anti-CAA protests but lost in both. The Dibrugarh seat, comprising 10 Assembly segments spread across the two upper Assam districts of Dibrugarh and Tinsukia, was a Congress stronghold until the BJPs emergence as a formidable force in 2014.

AAP leader Atishi Marlena to campaign in Assam for partys Dibrugarh, Sonitpur candidates

Guwahati: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi minister Atishi Marlena, is set to embark on a three-day visit to Assam, to campaign for the partys candidates contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. During her visit to the state, Marlena will attend several public rallies and road shows in favour of AAP candidates Manoj Dhanowar [] The post AAP leader Atishi Marlena to campaign in Assam for partys Dibrugarh, Sonitpur candidates appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Dibrugarh opposition candidate visits rival Sonowal's family home

Dibrugarh opposition candidate visits rival Sonowal's family home Lurinjyoti Gogoi, the candidate backed by the United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA) for Assam's Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency, visited the family of his BJP rival Sarbananda Sonowal at their residence in Muluk Gaon on Saturday. Gogoi paid his respects to the Union minister's elder brother Dipak Sonowal and other family members, including the widow of his eldest sibling Girish Sonowal. He sought their blessings and conveyed his regards, emphasising that his visit was not for seeking votes. ''I have not come here to seek votes but the blessings of the elders whom I have known since long'', Gogoi said. Dipak Sonowal said it is the ''people who will vote and decide the fate of a candidate but all our good wishes and blessings are with Gogoi''. Sonowal's elder brother's widow also wished Gogoi success and blessed him by saying ''Jai hok' (may you win) and may ''all your wishes be fulfilled''. Gogoi greeted the family members with the traditional Assamese 'gamosa', and Sonowal's wife presented him with a yellow-green 'gamosa' characteristic of the Sonowal-Kachari tribe. Earlier, both Gogoi and the Union minister had met at Haldhibari Nagar Than, a place of worship in Dibrugarh, where they shared pleasantries over tea. Both the candidates have their roots in the All Assam Students Union (AASU) with Sonowal having served as the president from 1992 to 1999 and Gogoi as the general secretary much later during the later part of the last decade. The Dibrugarh constituency is going to polls in the first phase on April 19 with three candidates in fray, including Aam Aadmi Party's Monoj Dhanowar.

Three nominations rejected for second-phase Assam polls

Three nominations rejected for second-phase Assam polls The nomination papers of three out of 65 candidates have been rejected during scrutiny for the second phase of polls to five parliamentary constituencies of Assam on April 26, an election official said. The nominations of two candidates were rejected in Nagaon and one in Karimganj. However, in Silchar (SC), Darrang-Udalguri and Diphu (ST), all the papers submitted were found valid. Altogether 65 candidates had filed their nominations for the second phase on the last day on Thursday. In Nagaon, the nominations of independent candidate Biswajit Bordoloi and Hamar Raj Party's Horen Bhumij were rejected, while those of the remaining 13 were found valid, the official said. The prominent candidates in Nagaon are sitting Congress MP Prodyut Bordoloi, BJP's Suresh Bora and AIUDF's Aminul Islam. In Karimganj, the nomination of independent candidate Biplab Das was rejected. Of the 24 other candidates whose papers were found valid, the prominent ones include sitting BJP MP Kripanath Malla, Hafez Rashid Choudhury of the Congress and AIUDF's Sahibul Alam Choudhury. The papers of sitting BJP MP Dilip Saikia, Congress candidate Madhab Rajbongshi, Bodo Peoples' Front (BPF)'s Durga Das Boro and eight other contestants were found valid in Darrang-Udalguri. In Silchar, the nominations of all the eight candidates were found valid. They include state minister Parimal Suklabaidya of the BJP, Surya Kanta Sarkar of the Congress and TMCs Radheyshyam Biswa. In Diphu (ST), all five nominations were found valid. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 8. In the first phase of the polls scheduled on April 19, 35 candidates are in the fray for the Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur constituencies.

Development initiatives narrow Delhi-Dibrugarh gap: Sarbananda Sonowal

DIBRUGARH, April 5: Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal campaigned for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Lakhimpur and Dibrugarh constituencies on Friday. Sonowal, who is contesting as the BJP candidate for the No 13 Dibrugarh constituency, addressed meetings at Chiring village in Dangori and Jon Kareng in Jonai to muster support for Pradan Baruah, BJP candidate []

Opposition candidate contesting polls with Congress support which ignored development: Himanta

DIGBOI/TINKHONG: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that the opposition candidate in Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency was contesting the polls with the support of the Congress which had ignored development in the state for decades. Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) president Lurinjyoti Gogoi is the united opposition candidate against Union Minister and BJP contestant Sarbananda Sonowal in Dibrugarh constituency. It was during the Congress rule that crude oil was transported from Digboi to Barauni in Bihar but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reversed this and oil will now come to a refinery in the state from Barauni, Sarma said during election rallies at Digboi, Makum and Tingkhong in Dibrugarh constituency. There are nationalist leaders who believe in 'andolan' (agitations) but this does not work for us. We have launched a movement where the youth get employment and the benefits of different schemes, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a sense of pride to the people of Assam by taking its traditional 'gamosa' (hand towel) and Bihu to the global arena. Modi is the first Prime Minister to drape the gamosa during various programmes in the country and abroad. Did anyone ever see Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi with the gamosa around their neck, he asked. He also wore it in Jpan and even while taking the COVID vaccine, symbolising a security shield, Sarma claimed. He (Modi) was also the first Prime Minister to spend a night at Kaziranga and take both the elephant and jeep safari while also visiting a tea garden during his last visit to the state. The PM also witnessed the Bihu dancers and drummers creating a world record last year and it was he who took the initiative of taking the legendary Ahom General Lachit Barphukan's saga of valour to the global stage. He is a Prime Minister who visited the state 26 times during the last 10 years, helped develop road infrastructure, the Dhola-Sadiya and Bogibeel bridge for connectivity, medical colleges, cancer hospitals and many other development works in this constituency, he said. He said that the region has witnessed a transformation in commerce, connectivity and cultural revival efforts during the last ten years. The wages of the tea garden workers have been enhanced and model schools set up for the education of their children, Sarma said. When Modi is made the Prime Minister for the third successive term (after this election), we will march further ahead, he said. If Modiji becomes the Prime Minister, it will give me a dose of vitamin to work more for the development of the area and prosperity of the people, he added. Referring to a government scheme, the Chief Minister said that he was committed to making women entrepreneurs earn millions by giving them Rs 10,000 initially and then Rs 25,000 in their bank accounts after the elections. He further said that he has a long association with Sonowal and 'I can vouch for his commitment towards the people and in furthering 'Modi Ki Guarantee' in the constituency'.

Assam: Demand for 4th BVFCL plant grows louder, AASU presses for fertilizer industry revival

DIBRUGARH: Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the push for establishing the 4th fertilizer plant in Namrup, Assam gained momentum following the demand made by the All Assam Students Union (AASU) on Thursday (April 04). Briefing the media, the Dibrugarh district president of AASU highlighted the challenges faced by the Namrup BVFCL, one of Indias [] The post Assam: Demand for 4th BVFCL plant grows louder, AASU presses for fertilizer industry revival appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

AASU urges immediate establishment of Namrup 4th plant

HT Correspondent DIBRUGARH, April 4: Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the All Assam Students Union (AASU) on Thursday demanded the establishment of the Namrup 4th plant. Addressing a press conference here, the AASU Dibrugarh district president said, Namrup BVFCL, one of the oldest fertiliser-producing units in India, has been struggling for its survival due []

Assam: 65 nominations filed in five seats for second phase of polls

Assam: 65 nominations filed in five seats for second phase of polls Altogether 65 candidates have filed their nominations for five Lok Sabha seats in Assam that are going to polls in the second phase on April 26, an election official said on Thursday. As many as 38 candidates filed their nominations on the last day on Thursday. Polling will be held in Karimganj, Silchar, Nagaon, Diphu and Darrang-Udalguri seats in the second phase. BJP's Lok Sabha candidates Suresh Bora (Nagaon) and Dilip Saikia (Darrang-Udalguri) filed their nomination papers in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. In Nagaon, sitting Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi filed his nomination papers along with eight others on Thursday, taking the total number of candidates to 15 in the constituency. In the Darrang-Udalguri seat, five candidates filed their nomination papers on the last day, taking the total number of nominees in the fray to 11. Congress candidate Madhab Rajbongshi, Bodo Peoples' Front's Durga Das Boro, SUCI's Jitendra Chaliha, Republican Party of India's Abul Kasem, Gana Suraksha Party's Swarna Devi and Lalit Pegu of Voters Party International had filed their papers earlier. In Karimganj, 20 candidates, including Hafez Rashid Choudhury of the Congress, filed their nominations on the final day, taking the total number of nominees to 25 with sitting BJP MP Kripanath Mallah and AIUDF's Sahibul Alam Choudhury having filed their papers earlier. In Silchar, Rajib Das of Bahujan Maha Party and Independent candidate Ananta Mohan Roy submitted their papers during the day, taking the total number of nominees to eight, including Assam minister Parimal Suklabaidya of BJP, Surya Kanta Sarkar of Congress and Radheyshyam Biswa of Trinamool Congress. In Diphu, John Barnard Sangma of Gana Suraksha Party filed his nomination while five others, Joyram Engleng of Congress, Jotson Bey of Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) and BJP's Amarsing Tisso, had submitted their documents earlier. The nominations will be scrutinised on April 5 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 8. In the first phase polls on April 19, 35 candidates are in the fray for Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur constituencies. In the outgoing Lok Sabha, BJP held nine seats, Congress three, while the AIUDF has one MP and there is also an Independent parliamentarian from the state.

Assam: Jatiyotabad prioritises indigenous rights over destruction of public assets, says Sonowal

Dibrugarh: The Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal addressed multiple public meetings at Amguri, Naharani and Kenduguri under Jaipur mandal as the canvassing for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections picks up speed. Addressing the people in these meetings, the senior BJP leader called for a healthy democratic environment for the growth and development of the country. Sonowal [] The post Assam: Jatiyotabad prioritises indigenous rights over destruction of public assets, says Sonowal appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW .

Sonowal champions nationalism in Dibrugarh rallies

Assam: Nine nominations filed for second phase of LS polls

Assam: Nine nominations filed for second phase of LS polls Nine candidates in Assam filed their nomination papers on Tuesday, taking the total number of nominees to 14 for the second phase of polls, which will cover five parliamentary constituencies in the state on April 26, an election official said. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was present during the filing of nomination by BJP candidate Amarsingh Tisso for Diphu (ST) constituency. Speaking on the occasion, Sarma said the elections this time was a formality to re-elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to ensure that the development work initiated by him continues. He said the tribal areas of the state suffered from insurgency for decades but it was due to the PM's initiative that violence has ended and development has taken place. In Diphu (ST), two candidates filed their nominations so far with an independent submitting his papers earlier. In Karimganj, AIUDF candidate Sahabul Alam Choudhury and independent aspirant Binoy Krishna Roy filed their nominations, bringing the total number of candidates in the constituency to four. Previously, SUCI(C)'s Prajwal Sudip Dev and independent candidate Dilip Kumar had also submitted their papers. In Silchar (SC), three more candidates filed their nominations. They are SUCI(C)'s Provas Chandra Sarkar, Bangali Nabonirma Sena's Barindra Kumar Das and independent Raju Das. Former Lok Sabha MP Radhey Shyam Biswas of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) submitted his nomination for the Silchar constituency on Monday, taking the total number of candidates to four. In Nagaon, two independent candidates, Abu Shama and Sikha Sarma, filed their nominations, while Saiful Islam Chowdhury of Asom Jana Morcha submitted his papers on Monday, taking the total to three aspirants so far. In Darrang-Udalguri, Lalit Pegu of Voters Party International (VPI) submitted his nomination during the day. Overall, the total number of nominations filed for the second phase polls, covering Nagaon, Darrang-Udalguri, Diphu (ST), Silchar (SC), and Karimganj, stands at 14. The prominent candidates to contest in the second phase are Congress sitting MP Pradyut Bordoloi from Nagaon against BJP's Suresh Bora and AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam. BJP sitting MP Dilip Saikia has been pitted against Congress candidate Madhab Rajbongshi in Darrang-Udalguri. In Silchar (SC), Assam Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya is the BJP candidate and he will take on Congress youth leader and district general secretary Surjya Kanta Sarkar. In Karimganj, sitting BJP MP Kripanath Mallah will take on Congress candidate Hafez Ahmed Choudhury and AIUDF's Sahabul Islam Choudhury. The last date for filing of nominations is April 4, scrutiny on April 5 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 8. In the first phase, 35 candidates are in the fray for the Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur and Lakhimpur constituencies. In the outgoing Lok Sabha, BJP held nine seats, Congress three, AIUDF and an independent one from the state.

BJPs developmental politics triumphs over divisive tactics: Sarbananda Sonowal

HT Correspondent DIBRUGARH, April 1: The Union minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, addressed a series of meetings in the Khowang Legislative constituency as the campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections picks up. Sonowal tore through the inept and corrupt regimes of Congress for failing to deliver and betraying the trust of the people during six decades []

Assam: Two nominations filed for second phase

Assam: Two nominations filed for second phase Two candidates, one each in Silchar (SC) and Nagaon, filed their nominations for the second phase of polls to five parliamentary constituencies in Assam on April 26, an election official said. Radhey Shyam Biswas, a former Lok Sabha MP from All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), filed his nomination in Silchar, while Saiful Islam Chowdhury of Asom Jana Morcha filed in Nagaon. Biswas, previously elected as an AIUDF candidate from Karimganj constituency in 2014, later joined AITC after losing to BJP's Kripanath Mallah in 2019. As of now, five nominations have been filed for the second phase, including two in Karimganj and one in Diphu. The second phase will witness elections in Nagaon, Darrang-Udalguri, Diphu (ST), Silchar (SC), and Karimganj constituencies. Notable candidates in this phase include Congress sitting MP Pradyut Bordoloi from Nagaon, BJP MP Dilip Saikia in Darrang-Udalguri, and Assam Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya in Silchar, among others. The last date for filing nominations is April 4, with scrutiny on April 5 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations being April 8. Polling for the 14 Sabha constituencies in Assam will be conducted in the first three phases of the seven-phase general elections on April 19, 26, and May 7, with five constituencies each in the first and second phases and four in the third phase. In the first phase, 35 candidates are in the fray from Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Sonitpur, and Lakhimpur constituencies. In the outgoing Lok Sabha, BJP held nine seats, Congress three, AIUDF one, and an independent one from the state.

Cong leaders a call away from joining BJP: Himanta after cycle rally in Majuli

Cong leaders a call away from joining BJP: Himanta after cycle rally in Majuli Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said Congress leaders are just a phone call away from joining the ruling BJP, though he refrained from doing so due to the challenge of accommodating many of them within the party. Additionally, he dismissed the notion that opposition parties uniting against the ruling regime would affect the BJP's electoral prospects in the state. Speaking to reporters after concluding a 15-km bicycle rally in Majuli to kick off a fortnight-long Vijay Sankalp Yatra, Sarma emphasised his confidence in the BJP's strength even as the state's five Lok Sabha constituencies prepare for elections on April 19. Notably, Majuli is now part of the Jorhat Lok Sabha constituency post-delimitation, where BJP's incumbent MP Topon Kumar Gogoi faces Congress Gaurav Gogoi, who is the deputy leader of opposition in the outgoing Lok Sabha. Gogoi represented Kaliabor in the outgoing House, which has been rechristened Kaziranga following the delimitation of constituencies in the state. Besides Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur and Kaziranga are the other constituencies where polls are slated in the first phase. Sarma's rally, accompanied by numerous party members and supporters, received attention from diverse demographics, with attendees offering traditional Assamese scarves as a sign of respect. ''If I ask today, all of them will come. The Muslim leaders will come by 2032, and the Hindu leaders will join if I call them,'' the CM said, when asked if more Congress leaders are in queue to join the ruling party as several leaders and workers from the opposition party have joined BJP over the last few weeks. Asked about two women Congress MLAs Nandita Das and Sibamoni Bora, who are campaigning for the party candidates, Sarma suggested their willingness to switch sides but noted the limitations on calling everyone. On state Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah reportedly filing a defamation case against him, Sarma said he has been saying only good things about the opposition leader. ''Case is filed when defamation happens. But here, I have said he can be the chief minister. I am giving him an elevated position. How can that be defamatory? Sarma questioned back. He also reiterated his assertion that Borah will join the BJP by early next year. On the issue of opposition parties fielding candidates against each other despite initial collaboration, Sarma remained unfazed, attributing the electorate's focus solely on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. ''The only factor in this election is Modi ji. Everyone wants to make him the PM again. The result will be same even if all the opposition parties come together,'' he said, exuding confidence of the BJP-led alliance sweeping the elections in the state as well as the entire country. Highlighting development efforts in Majuli, Sarma outlined plans for infrastructure projects, including bridges and a hospital combining allopathic, naturopathic, and ayurvedic treatments.

Assam govt announces localised public holidays on polling dates

The Assam government has declared local public holidays on April 19, 26, and May 7 for constituencies holding Lok Sabha polls. The Governor's order under the Negotiable Instruments Act of 1881 mandates these holidays for areas with polling on those dates. In the first phase on April 19, polling will take place in Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Kaziranga, Lakhimpur, and Sonitpur constituencies.

Lok Sabha polls: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal begins campaign in tea-majority areas in Assam's Dibrugarh

Lok Sabha polls: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal begins campaign in tea-majority areas in Assam's Dibrugarh Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal, launched a campaign in the tea-majority areas in Dibrugarh, emphasizing the significance of Assam tea's 200-year legacy in elevating India's global reputation. Union Minister Sonowal, who has been fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was canvassing for the party for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. He began the campaign on Sunday with meetings in Dikom Sesa tea garden field, Bamunbari tea garden field, and Keheng tea garden in Tingrai Itakhuli field. Despite inclement weather conditions, Sarbananda Sonowal was accorded a warm reception by the members of the tea garden community during his visit. The tea working community is very close to my heart. Your colourful community enriches the complex, dynamic, and vibrant socio-cultural fabric of Assamese community. Two hundred years of glorious Assam tea have made India world famous. A hard-working tea tribe is behind this success, the Union Minister said while speaking during his campaign. You elected me to represent your causes as MLA, MP, Chief Minister, and now Union Minister. My job is to serve you; this is my first and foremost duty. Under the inspiring leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, the tea community, along with contemporary society from every section, has been reaping the fruits of welfare democracy that were long denied during the misrule of the Congress government. Due to Modi ji's early experience in life as a tea worker, he always advised me to work for the welfare of the tea garden community. This is the reason why I, as the then CM of Assam, gave special attention to setting up new schools so that the young generation from your community can get educated, Sonowal said. During his visit, Union Minister Sonowal also participated in various programs, including Kutumba Milan Samaroh of All Assam Patar Samaj, the BJP's Tea Tribe Morcha Workers' Conference, and the BJP-AGP election campaign rally. He was accompanied by the Union Minister of State Rameswar Teli, the Ministers of the Government of Assam, Sanjay Kishan, and Bimal Bora; the MLA of Dibrugarh, Prasanta Phukan; the MLA of Duliajan, Teras Goyala, the Chairman of the Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC), Rituparna Barua; and other BJP office bearers. Adding further, Sonowal said, Our zero-tolerance against the APSC scam led to the arrest of culprits who were running a job racket, denying the dues of eligible candidates. Today, anyone, whether from the tea tribe community or any other community in Assam, has a level playing field where one can secure a job with merit. We also worked to improve the conditions of roads within tea gardens, Anganwadi centres, a cash incentive of Rs 12,000 to every pregnant woman, free primary education for the children of the tea community, free medicines at hospitals, and many other schemes. The visionary step of the Jan Dhan Yojana, launched by PM Narendra Modi ji, has given all of us an opportunity to become financially secure and become part of the financially and socially inclusive development of the country. It is a moment of great satisfaction that more than 8, 50,000 bank accounts were opened under this scheme for the tea workers, making them part of the country's development process. Since 2014, PM Narendra Modiji has spearheaded numerous welfare initiatives aimed at uplifting the tea community. Programs such as Jan Dhan Yojana, Ujjwala, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana have significantly enhanced living standards within this community. Contrastingly, the Congress party, during its 60-year tenure, was accused of rampant corruption and fostering division for political gain. The BJP government, however, has propelled developmental efforts in the tea garden regions to unprecedented levels, with substantial contributions from women empowerment initiatives. I want to assure you all that this journey towards Viksit Bharat will continue with your strong support for Narendra Modi ji. As one of yours, I shall be committing to this noble cause of nation-building, working towards welfare measures that will help people live a life of dignity with a better standard of living and ultimately working towards achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat under the dynamic leadership of PM Modi ji, the Union Minister added. (ANI)

Lok Sabha polls: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal begins campaign in tea-majority areas in Assams Dibrugarh

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Bihu workshop organised in Demow

HT Correspondent DEMOW, March 30: A ten-day Bihu dance, dhol badan and pepa badan workshop has been organized at the Saragua High School Playground near Demow in Dibrugarh district under the patronage of the Saragua Udayan Cultural Group. A large numbers of children participated in the workshop. While Dimbeswar Gogoi was the chief instructor, Ranjita []

Nari Shakti is Maha Shakti propelling Bharat forward: Sarbananda Sonowal

HT Correspondent DIBRUGARH, March 30: Union minister of ports, shipping and waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday termed Nari Shakti as Maha Shakti, which is propelling Bharat forward in the 21st century. While addressing the 30th foundation day celebrations of the Moran Jatiyo Mahila Parishad at Borguri in Tinsukia, Sonowal hailed Nari Shakti (womens []

UOFA candidate Lurinjyoti Gogoi campaigns in Margherita

HT Correspondent MARGHERITA, March 30: United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA) candidate for the Dibrugarh Lok Sabha constituency, Lurinjyoti Gogoi on Saturday campaigned at various places in Margheria. Lurinjyoti Gogoi was accompanied by Sanjay Kumar Deb, secretary of the Assam Jatiya Parishads central committee, president of Jatiya Chah Shaktis central committee Suresh Bhowmij, president of Jatiya []

Assam: BJPs Dibrugarh LS candidate Sarbananda Sonowal visits Madarkhat Xatra

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Sonowal, Gaurav Gogoi among 35 candidates in fray for first phase Assam polls

Sonowal, Gaurav Gogoi among 35 candidates in fray for first phase Assam polls Altogether 35 candidates, including Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, are left in the fray for the first phase polls in Assam on April 19, with the withdrawal of one person on Saturday, an election official said. A total of 38 candidates had filed their papers for the polls to the five constituencies --Kaziranga, Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur and Sonitpur. One person withdrew his nomination on the last day of withdrawal on Saturday while the nomination papers of two other candidates were rejected during scrutiny on Thursday. In Jorhat, an independent Baba Kurmi withdrew his nomination, leaving four candidates in the fray including sitting BJP MP Topon Gogoi and Lok Sabha Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Congress candidate Gaurav Gogoi. Nomination papers of Republican Party of India's (Athawale) candidate Faisal Ahmed Majumdar (Kaziranga) and independent Mahendra Orang (Sonitpur) were rejected. Kaziranga, the erstwhile Kaliabor constituency which was renamed during the delimitation exercise in the state, has the highest number of 11 candidates, including BJP Rajya Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa and Congress contestant Roselina Tirkey. In Dibrugarh, three candidates are in the fray including Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal of BJP, Assam Jatiya Parishad president Lurinjyoti Gogoi as the unified opposition candidate, and Aam Aadmi Party candidate Manoj Dhanowar. Eight candidates are in the fray in Sonitpur. They include BJP MLA and former minister Ranjit Dutta, Congress candidate Prem Lal Ganju and AAP's Rishiraj Kaundilya. In Lakhimpur, nine candidates will contest the polls with the main fight being between sitting BJP MP Pradan Baruah and Congress candidate Uday Shankar Hazarika. In the outgoing Lok Sabha, BJP held nine seats, Congress three, AIUDF and an independent one each from the state.

Assam: Sarbananda Sonowal declares assets worth Rs 4.75 cr

Guwahati, Mar 30 (UNI) Sarbananda Sonowal, the BJPs most high-profile candidate in Assam, has total movable and immovable assets worth Rs 4,75,85,258. Sonowal, a former Chief Minister and two-time Union Minister, filed his nomination as the BJPs candidate from Dibrugarh on March 26. In the affidavit, he declared his total moveable assets as Rs 1... The post Assam: Sarbananda Sonowal declares assets worth Rs 4.75 cr first appeared on Central India's Premier English Daily .