Assam polls: Gaurav Gogoi urges high voter turnout to secure future

As polling began across all 126 assembly constituencies in Assam on Thursday, Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi appealed to voters to come out in large numbers and exercise their constitutional rights to shape the state’s future.

A voter turnout of 17.87 per cent was recorded in the first two hours of polling in Assam, where elections are underway for the 126-member assembly.

Voting began at 7 am, and nearly 17.87 per cent of the state’s 2.5 crore electorate had cast their ballots by 9 am, officials said. The high-stakes contest sees the BJP-led NDA aiming for a third straight term, while the Congress seeks to regain power after a decade.

In a message shared on social media, Gogoi described the day as crucial for the people of Assam and urged them to vote “with conscience” for a better future. He also extended his wishes to first-time voters, calling their participation vital for building a “new Assam”.

"Today, in the interest of building a new Assam, in the interest of securing our present and future, it is essential that we vote with our conscience. "I wish everyone who came out to vote for the first time all the best. Jai Aai Assam," Gogoi wrote in Assamese.

Gogoi, who is also the deputy leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, is contesting from the Jorhat constituency in Upper Assam.

The election is being closely watched as a key political test in the Northeast, with voter turnout expected to play a decisive role in the outcome.

With PTI inputs