People wait to cast their votes at Amingaon High School under Jalukbari constituency on Thursday. Picture by UB Photos

Guwahati, April 24: Jalukbari constituency which elected its representative with the biggest margin ever in the history of Assam in the 2011 Assembly election, registered the highest polling percentage in Kamrup (metro) district.

Voters arrived at polling centres early and waited in queues for hours to cast their votes braving the scorching sun of the hottest April day in the history of Guwahati. Most of them hoped that besides playing an active role in Parliament, the elected MP would work for development of infrastructure in Jalukbari Assembly constituency.

Till 5pm, the polling percentage in Jalukbari was 80 which was 65, 64 and 76 per cent for Dispur, Gauhati East and Gauhati West constituencies respectively. The overall percentage in the district was 71. In the 2011 Assembly election, 79.16 per cent people cast their votes electing Himanta Biswa Sarma, who now holds the health and education portfolio in the Assam government, with 72.09 per cent votes.

“We want our MP to be active in Parliament so that he can make us proud by participating in various discussions of national importance. Besides, he must give importance in solving the local problems. Some of the arterial roads in our constituency are in a very bad shape which need immediate improvement. The MP should not overlook it,” said Krishnaram Das, 38, a voter at Saraighat High School.

Bimal Medhi, 21, a first-time voter and a third year college student, said besides building roads, opening up job opportunities for educated youths should also be the priority of the MPs.

“The government should prepare schemes to generate employment for educated youths. We want MPs to be dynamic and educated,” he said.

Babul Das, 28, a worker in a private company, cast his vote at Amingaon High School after waiting for four hours.

“Our representatives should work to check price rise. In 2000, my daily wage was Rs 200 which is still the same. But price of every essential commodity is skyrocketing. Besides, the government falsely promised us to give land,” he said.

Confusion prevailed at the high school polling centre when rumour spread that polling would begin at 6am instead of 7am. People arrived at the polling centre from around 5am and had to wait for two hours to cast their votes.