GMC elections: Queues for voting in Guwahati.

Guwahati: Polling for the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), which is being held after a gap of nine years, began in earnest on Friday morning.

People lined up under clear skies in front of polling stations to elect their new councilors.

A total of 197 candidates are in the fray in 57 wards, while BJP candidates have already been elected unopposed in three wards.

Electronic voting machines (EVMs) are being used for the first time in all wards covered by GMC.

A total of 7,96,829 voters, including 3,96,891 men, 3,99,911 women and 27 transgender people, are eligible to exercise their franchise.
Counting will take place on April 24.

Political parties went out of their way to woo voters, promising a flood-free and crime-free city before the elections, providing piped water and all other basic civic amenities to all households.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma led the BJP’s election campaign by addressing several rallies across the city, while the saffron party’s ally partner, Asom Gana Parishad’s (AGP), led the campaign in Dispur and party president Atal Bora did.

The BJP has fielded candidates in 53 wards while the AGP is contesting in the remaining seven wards.

Bhupen Bora, head of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, led the state’s main opposition party in his election campaign.

The Congress has fielded candidates in 54 wards.

Other parties were not to be outdone, with the Aam Aadmi Party bringing in its Delhi MLA Atishi Marlena to woo voters, while Assam Jatiya Parishad has its leader Lurinjyoti Gogoi leading the campaign.

In addition to house-to-house canvassing and rallies, the parties staged car and bike rallies on city streets, and the campaign reached its climax on Wednesday, when the campaign ended.

The notification of election of 60 wards of GMC was issued on March 23 and the Model Code of Conduct came into force immediately.