Assam Polls: NDA and Congress-led alliance vie for Jagiroad seat

Jagiroad constituency in Assam is set for a keen electoral contest between sitting BJP MLA Pijush Hazarika and Congress's Bubul Das. BJP aims for a third win in the SC-reserved seat, facing challenges like unemployment and flooding.

The Jagiroad Assembly constituency in Assam is all set to go to polling on April 9 for the Legislative Assembly elections, amid a keenly contested battle. Assam will vote in a single phase across 126 constituencies on April 9, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), and Bodoland People's Front (BPF), is seeking a third consecutive term in the state. The Congress-led opposition alliance, which includes Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), Raijor Dal, Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], CPI(ML), and other parties, aims to capitalise on anti-incumbency and reclaim power in the state.

Key Contestants and Political History

For the Jagiroad constituency, BJP has fielded sitting MLA Pijush Hazarika as their contesting candidate, who will go against Congress's Bubul Das. Bharatiya Janata Party has been winning the Jagiroad constituency seat for the past two terms under Pijush Hazarika and is aiming to conquer it for the third consecutive time.

Constituency Profile and Voter Concerns

Jagiroad Assembly constituency is part of Nowgong parliamentary constituency, located in Morigaon district of Assam. Jagiroad is a Scheduled Caste (SC) reserved seat with an agro-based economy. The constituency is predominantly inhabited by indigenous Assamese people, along with tribal communities, a portion of Muslim voters, and the Nepali Gorkha community.

The constituency faces several persistent challenges. Irrigation and unemployment remain major concerns for voters, though the under-construction semiconductor plant in the region is expected to generate significant employment opportunities in the coming years. Flooding continues to affect parts of the constituency, while access to drinking water remains a problem in many areas.

Past Election Results

2021 Assembly Elections

In 2021, BJP's Pijush Hazarika emerged victorious in the Assembly elections with 1,06,643 votes, accounting for 54 per cent of the total votes polled. Congress's Swapan Kumar Mandal followed with 77,239 votes, while AJP's Bubul Das secured 12,815 votes. The margin of victory was 29,404 votes.

There were a total of 2,23,191 electors in Jagiroad during the 2021 Assam Assembly elections, which recorded a voter turnout of 89.3 per cent, with a total of 1,97,600 votes polled.

2016 Assembly Elections

During the 2016 Assam Assembly elections, Pijush Hazarika of the BJP won with 94,550 votes, accounting for 55.4 per cent of the total votes polled. Congress's Bibekananda Dalai followed with 66,224 votes, while AIUDF's Putul Das secured 7,192 votes. The margin of victory was 28,326 votes.

There were a total of 2,01,287 electors in Jagiroad during the 2016 Assam Assembly elections, which recorded a voter turnout of 85.4 per cent, with a total of 1,70,823 votes polled. BJP gained the seat from the INC in 2016.

As polling day approaches, all eyes are on whether the voters of Jagiroad will endorse continuity under the BJP-led NDA or opt for change under the opposition alliance, making the constituency one of the key battlegrounds in Assam's 2026 Assembly elections. (ANI)

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