GUWAHATI: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) made a near clean sweep of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation elections (GMC) by winning 58 of the 60 wards. At the end of counting, Congress drew blank, which is a first in the history of GMC election.
BJP which had contested in 53 wards won in 52. Three of its candidates had earlier been declared winners without contest. Its ally, Asom Gana Parishad won in six of seven wards it contested.
The remaining two seats went to each of the two debutants—Aam Admi Party and Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP). While AAP candidate defeated BJP, the AJP candidate the AGP candidate.
For AAP, it was their third victory in any election in the state so far. Last month the party of Arvind Kejriwal had won two wards in the urban civil polls in Lakhimpur and Tinuskia. AAP finished as first runner-up in 24 of the 60 wards in Guwahati.
PM Narendra Modi tweeted, “Thank you Guwahati! The people of this lovely city have given a resounding mandate to @BJP4Assam to build on the agenda of development. They have also blessed the hardwork of the state government under CM @himantabiswa. My gratitude to every BJP Karyakarta for the hardwork.”
The elections were held after a gap of four years. Congress had won the last GMC election in 2013 but three years later, after it lost majority, BJP took control of the corporation for the remaining tenure of the body till 2018.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who led party’s campaign, in a tweet said, “I bow my head to the people of Guwahati for giving @BJP4Assam & its allies a historic win in #GMCElections. With this massive mandate, people have reaffirmed their faith on our development journey under the guidance of Adarniya PM Shri @narendramodi ji.”
BJP state president Bhabesh Kalita said that the mayor and deptuy mayor will be elected after PM Modi’s visit to the state on April 28.
