Chief Ministers Sonowal & Shivraj rally in Assam on final poll campaign day before Phase 1

As the assembly elections in 4 states and the union territory of Puducherry draw closer, the campaign for the first phase of the Assam elections will come to an end on Thursday. The election campaigns end 48 hours prior to the polling date. The 126-seat Assam Assembly is set to witness three-phase elections and the first phase will be on March 27. In the first phase of polling, a total of 264 candidates will contest the elections. The total number of electors will be 81,09,815--out of these 40,77,210 will be male, 40,32,481 will be female and 124 transgenders. 

Election Commission’s (ECI's) guidelines 

According to the ECI guidelines, Section 126 of the RP Act, 1951, prohibits election campaign activities through public meetings, processions, etc, and displaying of election matter by means of television and similar apparatus in any polling area 48 hours prior to the polls. During the silence period, star campaigners and other Political Leaders should refrain from addressing the media by way of press conferences and giving interviews on election matters.

CM Sarbananda Sonowal's Rally

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is scheduled to address three public meetings in the poll-bound state. He tweeted with the hashtag #BJPOnceMoreInAssam and said, "will be taking part in election meetings at Majuli tomorrow. Here's my schedule. Do join and keep blessing us".

His first address will be at the Karatipar in Majuli at 10:30 AM after which he will head to Dakhinpat Naohali in Majuli at 12:00 PM. His final rally at Pokajora in Majuliwill take place at 1:30 PM.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Assam

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will arrive in Assam for the Election Campaign as well. He will address a public meeting at Palasbadi at 12.35 PM and a Press conference at 2.50 PM at BJP Khanapura, Guwahati office

CM Chouhan took to Twitter and said, "The efficient guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and under the strong leadership of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Assam is creating new dimensions of development. Today, I will address a public gathering organized by the BJP at Palasbari in Assam, the holy land of Mother Kamakhya Devi".

AICC General Secy at Kamakhya Temple

AICC General secretary Jitendra Singh will visit Assam's Kamakhya Temple on Thursday and will address '5 guarantees of Congress' and its implementation, if the party is voted to power. 

JP Nadda Releases 10-point Manifesto

On March 23, With the slogan of 'Doosri Baar, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) sarkar', BJP's National President Jagat Prakash Nadda released the saffron party's Assam manifesto terming it as the party's 10 Sankalp For Axom (10 commitments for Assam).

Key Highlights of the Manifesto:

• Women Empowerment 
• Cultural Protection
• Development & Infrastructure
• Correction of National Register of Citizens (NRC)
• Assam Aahar Aatmanirbharta
• Employment

Congress's Assam Manifesto

On March 20, Congress released the party's manifesto ahead of the state Assembly elections in which the party has promised to defend the "idea of the state of Assam".

Rahul Gandhi said, "This Manifesto is the symbol of the Congress Party, but this Manifesto has been created by Assam, the people of Assam have made it. It has the voice of Assam".

Assam elections (3-phases)

• 126 seats (8-SC, 16-ST) 
• 33,530 polling stations
• Assembly term ending on May 31
• 1st phase- 47 constituencies. Date of polling- March 27
• 2nd phase- 39 constituencies. Date of polling- April 1
• 3rd phase- 40 constituencies. Date of polling- April 6

As many as 18.68 crore electors will cast vote at 2.7 lakh polling stations in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry. The counting of votes for all the polls will take place on May 2.

(Image Credits: PTI/ANI)