Congress tally at 52, 18 seats less than 2001
Congress is all set to bounce back to power in the state. Despite not getting a clear majority, the party notched up a tally of 52 seats which is still lower by 18 seats over the total number of 70 constituencies that it had won in the 2001 assembly elections. The Congress had only one pre-poll alliance, that too with the BPPF (Hagrama)group which has swept all seats in the BTAD region. The Congress will now stake its claim to form the government with its tally of 52 seats and Hagrama’s 12 seats. However, a ray of dejection accosted Congress as the party’s many heroes and stalwarts who were also contenders for the Chief Minstership suffered humiliating defeat.

Congress to elect CLP leader on May 13
Guwahati, May 11, Though the Congress have grabbed 52 seats in the state Legislative Assembly, the party has fallen short of 18 seats to make an absolute majority. Significantly, the Congress is all geared up to form the government with the Hagrama faction of the BPPF which has won 12 seats. Meanwhile, the Congress leadership has despatched three senior leaders including Mohsina Kidwai and AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh to Guwahati. The meeting of the newly elected Congress Legislature Party will be held at Guwahati on May 13 to elect its leader. Chandan Bagchi, who is in charge of party affairs in Assam, expressed confidence that the Congress would be able to form the government again with the help of "like-minded" parties.

Win or defeat? Counting of votes today
GUWAHATI, May 10: The month-long confusion created by the exit and opinion polls on the possible outcome of the Asom Assembly election will come to an end tomorrow when the counting of votes will begin at 8 a.m. in as many as 47 counting centres in the State. As many as 19,723 EVMs, which have been kept heavily guarded in 47 strong rooms, would be opened tomorrow morning for counting amidst tight security. The counting will also give a clear picture of facts like which party or parties will head the 12th Asom Government, what will be the possible equation of parties, etc.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been imposed for peaceful counting and bursting of high decibel firecrackers in public places has been banned from tomorrow till May 20, official sources said.
The fate of 997 contestants, including Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, AGP president Brindabon Goswami, AGP-P president and former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, AUDF president Badruddin Azmal and his party, former Union minister Bijoya Chakravarty and others, would be decided tomorrow.
The poll results have much to do on the political career of Brindabon Goswami. If the regional party makes it to Dispur, Goswami has to prove his political acumen by setting all the odds in the State in his and party’s favour, but if the party fails to form the Government, both Goswami’s career and regionalism will be at stake.
Elections for the 126 constituencies were held in two phases on April 3 (65 seats) and April 10 (61 seats) last.
Our Correspondent adds from Jorhat: With barely 12 hours left for the crucial vote count which will pave the way for the formation of the 12th Asom Assembly, the 25 candidates in the fray for the five Assembly constituencies in the State will pass a sleepless night tonight before the electronic voting machines, in which their fates are sealed, are opened tomorrow morning for the number crunching. It may be mentioned here that the Assembly polls in the State were conducted in two phases on April 3 and 10. The polling was held in the five seats here on April 3.
The major attraction will be the verdict at 100 Titabor LAC where Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is the Congress nominee. Gogoi is likely to have an easy sail there in the absence of any strong rivalry from any of the other parties in contention. The constituency registered a polling percentage of 70.86 in the April 3 polls.
All eyes will also be set on the prestigious 98 Jorhat Legislative Assembly Constituency where sitting MLA and Asom Gana Parishad general secretary Hitendra Nath Goswami is pitted against Congress nominee and former Jorhat Zilla Parishad chairman Rana Goswami. Though three more candidates are also in contention, it is likely to be a straight contest between the AGP and the Congress candidates. In the last Assembly elections in 2001, Goswami, who was a former Power Minister in the AGP-led coalition Government, had bagged 39,421 votes. His nearest rival, Padma Nath Sarma of the Congress, got 33,380 votes. The constituency recorded a voting percentage of 63.52 in the last polls, while the voter turnout was a healthy 70.06 per cent this time round.
As many as nine candidates contested the Jorhat seat in the 2001 polls but there are four candidates less in this year’s polls. Apart from the two Goswamis, there are three more nominees – Jadab Doloi of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Amardip Singh of the Janata Dal (United) and Ms Deepanjali Bora of the AGP (Progressive) – whose fates will be known tomorrow.
In the event of a victory for the Congress candidate, it will be a major setback for the AGP which has retained the Jorhat seat since 1985.
Though Congress candidate and sitting legislator Membor Gogoi stands on relatively firm ground in 102 Teok LAC, which registered a brisk polling percentage at 76.03, the prospects of his party colleague Aroti Hazarika Kachari in the 97 Dergaon constituency (reserved for scheduled castes) are not that bright. There was dissent among the supporters of sitting MLA and minister Hem Prakash Narayan after he was denied a Congress ticket to fight the polls there. Dergaon also registered a high voting percentage of 76.06.
The results of the tea tribe-dominated 101 Mariani LAC, where the voter turnout was 73.96 per cent, will also be eagerly awaited by the five candidates in the fray. The main contestants are Alok Ghosh of the NCP, Rupjyoti Kurmi of the Congress and Palit Kumar Bora of the BJP.

AUDF backtracks on post poll alliance with AGP
Guwahati, May 10

In sharp contrast to its earlier announcement, the Asom United Democratic Front has said that it has so far not decided over forging post-poll alliance with any other party. The party supremo Badruddin Ajmal told NE TV over phone that though many parties were in touch with them, they have not taken any decision in this regard. Whatever decision will be taken, it will be taken in consultation with the party MLAs, he further added.

Hagrama announces open support to Congress
Guwahati, May 9
Fearing a decrease of seats in this assembly polls in Asom, the Congress has left no stone unturned to retain power for the second consecutive time. Asom Chief Minister’s blue eyed boy Himanta Biswa Sharma has been camping in New Delhi lobbying for the Tarun Gogoi camp before the party high command. Meanwhile the BPPF (Hagrama) faction on Monday had announced open support to the Congress on government formation.
 

Stage for counting in Asom
Guwahati, May 10

The fate of 997 candidates including Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, AGP President Brindaban Goswami and AUDF Supremo Badruddin Ajmal will be known on Thursday when the votes will be counted. Elaborate security arrangements have been made at the counting centres. Central paramilitary forces will assist the state police in maintaining vigil during the counting.

The Sonitpur District Administration has taken measures to make public the various arrangements made to make the counting peaceful in the district. Already additional security forces have been deployed in the district.