Assam government declares paid holiday on March 7 in MAJULI for by-elections

Guwahati: An official release on Monday said that the Assam government has announced a pay holiday on March 7 in the Majuli (Scheduled Tribe) constituency so that all voters can exercise their voting right in the by-elections scheduled for that day.

The state government has declared a holiday in all factories, gardens (including tea gardens), shops and commercial establishments, public recreation or leisure venues, contractors, firms, industries, workshops, banks, commercial and business establishments and others.

Three candidates are in the fray – Bhubaneswar Gam of the ruling BJP, Chittaranjan Basumatary of the opposition AJP and Bhaity Richong of the SUCI (C). The Congress had decided not to contest the elections to unite the anti-BJP forces but to leave the seat to the AJP.

The constituency needed to be elected after the resignation of Union Minister for Shipping, Ports and Aysuh Sarbananda Sonowal , who was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha on September 27.

The former chief minister was twice elected to the state legislature from Majuli constituency in a row in 2016 and 2021, and it was during his tenure that the world’s largest river island was upgraded to a district.