Two Opposition parties — the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and the CPI(M) — on Sunday expressed disappointment over the poll schedule announced for Assam. Congress, the principal Opposition party, however, said it was prepared for the elections.
Both AJP and CPM are pre-poll allies of the Congress in Assam.
The state will go to the polls in a single phase for its 126 Assembly constituencies on April 9, while counting will take place on May 4, according to the Election Commission.
The 2021 Assembly elections were held in three phases between March 27, April 1 and April 6, with counting taking place on May 2. The BJP-led alliance had returned to power for a second term.
The AJP, born out of the anti-CAA movement in 2019, alleged that the Election Commission’s decision to complete the entire election process in Assam within just three weeks “effectively benefits” the ruling BJP and reflects the commission functioning at the “dictation of the ruling party”.
AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi and general secretary Jagadish Bhuyan said the Commission had provided only three weeks between the filing of nominations and the polling date, which they believe gives a clear advantage to the party in power.
The last date for filing nominations is March 23 and the withdrawal of nominations is March 26.
The AJP leaders said the ruling party has “abundant financial resources and control over government machinery, enabling it to conduct widespread election campaigns across the state, including the use of helicopters to travel extensively”.
“Opposition parties, however, do not enjoy such resources and will face serious difficulties in organising their campaigns within such a limited time frame,” the AJP said.
Gogoi and Bhuyan said the decision raises serious concerns about the neutrality of the Election Commission and added that the move “once again reinforces the perception that the Commission has become a puppet in the hands of the BJP”.
The state CPI(M) also expressed unhappiness over the poll schedule, with its state secretary Suprakash Talukdar saying a single-phase election “is not good” for Assam.
“We feel the EC was influenced by the ruling dispensation, which had pushed for a single-phase poll. It should have been held in at least two phases. It will be difficult for us to campaign given the topography of our state. Our leaders will find it difficult to criss-cross the state for campaigning during such a short period. There is also the question of weather and security,” Talukdar said.
Assam PCC media department chairman Bedabrata Bora said the party was prepared for the polls — a reason why it released the second list of candidates on Saturday.
“We are ready, we are prepared,” he said.