Itanagar, April 9 Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday appealed to the electors of Assam to actively participate in the ongoing assembly elections, emphasizing that every vote has the power to shape the future of the state and strengthen the spirit of democracy.
Encouraging citizens to exercise their franchise with enthusiasm, Khandu particularly urged young voters and women to come forward and participate in the democratic process with confidence.
"As voting begins across Assam, I warmly call upon every citizen to step forward and participate in this important democratic exercise. Each vote carries the power to shape the future of the state," the chief minister said in a post on X.
"I particularly urge our young voters and women to participate with confidence and enthusiasm. Let us come together to uphold the spirit of democracy and turn this moment into a proud expression of our collective responsibility," he added.
Polling for all 126 assembly constituencies in Assam is underway on Thursday, and the electoral fate of 722 candidates will be decided, officials said.
In the high-stakes election, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is aiming for a third consecutive term in office, while the Congress is seeking to regain power after being ousted in 2016.
Polling, being held in a single phase, started at 7 am and will continue till 5 pm.
An electorate of about 2.50 crore voters, including 1.25 crore women and 318 individuals from the third gender, is eligible to cast their votes at 31,490 polling stations set up across the state.
Among the prominent candidates in the fray are Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaurav Gogoi, Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, Badruddin Ajmal of All India United Democratic Front, Akhil Gogoi of Raijor Dal, and Lurinjyoti Gogoi of Assam Jatiya Parishad.