Campaign ends for final phase of Assam Panchayat polls as ruling & oppn parties woo voters for all-round progress

CAMPAIGNING for the second and final phase of panchayat elections in Assam ended on Monday, as ruling and opposition parties wooed rural voters with the promise of all round development.

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Polling will be held in 13 districts of central and lower Assam in 12,130 polling stations on May 7.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma led the campaign for the BJP and its allies, addressing back-to-back rallies during campaigning. Sarma dwelt on various schemes taken up by his government since he assumed power four years back, with focus on initiatives for women, youth and the marginalised sections. He maintained that schemes for free education and the state government's tough stance against social ills like child marriage and drug abuse have been yielding positive results.

Sarma also slammed the previous Congress governments in his campaign speeches, accusing the grand old party of trying to appease the voters with “lungi, dhoti, suta (yarn), blanket and mosquito nets” without actually empowering them.