The ruling NDA appears all set to form the government in Assam for the third successive term, leading in 99 out of 126 assembly constituencies.

The majority mark to form government in the state is 64.

The Election Commission released trends for all 126 constituencies in the state, with the BJP leading in 80 while its alliance partners – the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF) – were ahead in nine and 10 seats, respectively.

The Congress was leading in 23 seats, while its ally, the Raijor Dal in two seats, according to the EC.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was leading in Jalukbari constituency, and state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi was trailing his BJP rival Hitendranath Goswami in Jorhat.

Assembly speaker Biswajit Daimary of the BJP was ahead of former BTC chief Pramod Boro of the UPPL in Tamulpur.

AJP's Lurinjyoti Gogoi, who was earlier leading, is now trailing BJP's Chakradhar Gogoi in Khowang constituency, as per EC data.

Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, who was trailing at the end of the second round, is now again leading ahead of his BJP rival Kushal Dowari.

The AIUDF was also leading in two seats with its president Badruddin Ajmal ahead in Binnakandi.

Among the prominent candidates who are trailing are Leader of opposition in the outgoing assembly Debabrata Saikia, former Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora (both of the Congress), former Union minister Rajen Gohain, who left the BJP to join the AJP, former BJP MP Rajdeep Roy, and minister in the outgoing cabinet Nandita Garlosa, who joined the Congress after being denied ticket.

NDA alliance partner AGP's president Atul Bora and working president Keshab Mahanta, both ministers in Sarma's cabinet, were leading in Bokakhat and Kaliabor, respectively.

Former senior Congress leaders Pradyut Bordoloi and Bhupen Borah, who joined the BJP ahead of the polls, were leading in Dispur and Bihpuria constituencies, respectively, the EC said.

Ministers Ranoj Pegu, Pijush Hazarika, Ashok Singhal, Prashanta Phukan, Bimal Borah and Chandramohan Patowary have also established leads in their respective constituencies of Dhemaji, Jagiroad, Dhekiajuli, Dibrugarh, Tingkhong and Tihu.

Sorbhog's sitting MLA Manoranjan Talukdar is trailing minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass in the realigned Bhowanipur-Sorbhog constituency during delimitation.

NDA alliance partner, the Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF), was also leading in three constituencies, with the present BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary's wife Sewli Mohilary ahead in Kokrajhar constituency.

The counting of votes began at 8 am, with postal ballots being taken up first.

Counting is being held at 40 centres across all 35 districts, with most districts having a single centre covering all constituencies.

However, in Nagaon district, counting is being conducted at three separate centres, while Kokrajhar, Tinsukia and Jorhat have two centres each.

Polling in all 126 assembly constituencies in the state was held in a single phase on April 9 with a record 85.96 per cent of the 2.5 crore voters exercising their franchise to decide the fate of 722 candidates.

The ruling BJP's strength in the outgoing assembly is 64, while its allies, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has 9, the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) 7 and the Bodo Peoples' Front (BPF), which rejoined the alliance, has 3 MLAs.