Moderate to brisk voting in Assam by-polls (Lead)

Guwahati, Nov 7

Moderate to brisk polling was recorded till Saturday afternoon in two Assam assembly constituencies, officials said.

"More than 50 percent polling as been recorded in both the constituencies," an election official said. Voting for the Dhekiajuli and South Salmara seats ends at 4 p.m.

The by-elections were necessitated after incumbent legislators Joseph Toppo from the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Badruddin Ajmal of the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) were elected to the Lok Sabha in May.

A total of 161,959 are eligible to decide the fate of seven candidates in Dhekiajuli. The main fight is between the AGP and the Congress. Dhekiajuli is in north Assam's Sonitpur district, about 160 km from here.

Three independent candidates contesting the polls in Dhekiajuli late Thursday announced their support to the Congress.

In the South Salmara seat, the contest is expected to be a direct one between the AUDF and the Congress. South Salmara is in western Assam's Dhubri district, about 300 km from here.

The AUDF has fielded Abdur Rahman Ajmal, son of party chief Badruddin Ajmal, while former minister Wajed Ali Choudhury is the Congress candidate. This is the first time Ajmal's son, a 28-year-old Islamic cleric from Deoband, has entered the electoral fray.

A total of 131,836 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in South Salmara with five candidates in the running.

Last updated on Nov 7^th, 2009 at 14:39 pm IST--IANS

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