Guwahati (Assam) [India], March 10 (ANI): The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retained the Majuli assembly constituency after its candidate Bhuban Gam won the by-election of the constituency defeating the joint opposition candidate Chitraranjan Basumutary of Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) with a margin of 42,141 votes on Thursday.

Guwahati Feb 28 PTI The Assam government has declared a paid holiday within the jurisdiction of Majuli Scheduled Tribe constituency on March seven to enable all voters to exercise their franchise in the byelections scheduled on that day an official release said on Monday The state government has declared a holiday in all factories plantations including tea plantations shops and commercial establishments places of public entertainment or amusements contractors establishments firms industries workshops banks commercial and business establishments among others Three candidates are in the fray - ruling BJPs Bhuban Gam opposition AJPs nominee Chittaranjan Basumatary and Bhaity Richong of the SUCIC The Congress had decided not to contest but to leave the seat for AJP in a bid to unite the anti-BJP forces The election to the constituency was necessitated following the resignation of Union Minister for Shipping Ports and Aysuh Sarbananda Sonowal who was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha on September 27 The former chief minister was elected to the state legislative assembly from Majuli constituency for two consecutive terms in 2016 and 2021 and it was during his tenure that the worlds largest river island was upgraded to a district PTI DG RG RG

Guwahati Feb 18 PTI All three nomination papers filed for the by-election to Assams Majuli Scheduled Tribe constituency were found valid after scrutiny on Friday an official statement said The bypoll will be held on March 7 The ruling BJP-led alliance has fielded Bhuban Gam for the seat while the opposition Assam Jatiya Parishads AJP nominee is Chittaranjan Basumatary The third candidate is Bhaity Richong of the SUCIC The main opposition party Congress had decided not to contest and leave the seat for the AJP in a bid to unite the anti-BJP forces The last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is February 21 and counting of votes is slated for March 10 The election to the constituency was necessitated following the resignation of Union Minister for Shipping Ports and Aysuh Sarbananda Sonowal following his election to the Rajya Sabha in September last year Sonowal a former chief minister was elected to the assembly from Majuli constituency for two consecutive terms in 2016 and 2021 Majuli is the worlds largest river island and it got the status of a district when Sonowal was the Assam chief minister The 126-member Assam legislative assembly currently comprises 78 members of the ruling alliance with the BJP having 62 members and its allies AGP and UPPL having nine and seven MLAs respectively The Congress has 27 MLAs AIUDF 15 BPF three CPIM one and an independent member PTI SSG MM MM