Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited the Kamakhya Devi temple in Guwahati on Thursday, where he offered prayers before casting his vote in the ongoing state Assembly elections. Accompanied by his wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, he said he prayed for the prosperity and progress of Assam. Calling it a blessing to seek the goddess’s darshan on polling day, Sarma expressed hope for the state’s growth and well-being.

Sarma is contesting as the NDA candidate from the Jalukbari Assembly constituency, a seat he has represented since 2001 after defeating AGP leader Bhrigu Kumar Phukan. Over the years, he has established a strong political base in the region. In the 2021 Assembly elections, he secured a decisive victory with 1,30,762 votes, accounting for 78.4 percent of the total, defeating Congress candidate Romen Chandra Borthakur, who received 28,851 votes. His winning margin was over one lakh votes, while independent candidates trailed far behind.

Sarma urged voters to participate actively in the democratic process, emphasizing that every vote plays a crucial role in building a better Assam. He encouraged citizens to turn out in large numbers and strengthen democracy. Polling in Assam began at 7 am across all 126 constituencies in a single phase. By 9 am, voter turnout stood at 17.87 percent, according to the Election Commission of India. The elections are part of a broader electoral exercise also taking place in Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

In Assam, more than 2.5 crore voters are eligible to vote, including over 1.25 crore men and nearly the same number of women, along with a small number of transgender and service voters. The electorate includes over 6.4 lakh first-time voters aged 18–19, more than 2.5 lakh senior citizens above 80, and over 2 lakh persons with disabilities.

To ensure smooth and transparent polling, webcasting has been set up at all polling stations, and over 1.5 lakh polling personnel have been deployed. Thousands of ballot units, control units, and VVPAT machines have also been arranged, with additional staff kept on standby if needed. The elections have drawn significant attention, with the Congress leading a six-party alliance to challenge the BJP-led NDA, which is aiming for a third consecutive term in power.