The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance secured a comfortable majority in Assam Assembly elections paving its way to form the government in the state winning 75 seats of the total 126 constituencies.
As per the Election Commission, the BJP secured 60 seats, about 33.2 per cent of the total vote share, while allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party, Liberal (UPPL) bagged nine and six seats respectively.
The counting of votes, which began at 8 am on Sunday, ended at around 5:40 am on Monday.
Congress managed to secure 29 seats (29.7 per cent vote share) while its 'Mahajoth' allies AIUDF won 16, and Bodoland People's Front bagged four. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) secured one seat.
Incumbent Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal won the Majuli constituency while Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma bagged the Jalukbari seat with a margin of over one lakh votes.
Sarma said a decision on the next Chief Minister will be taken by the BJP Parliamentary Board.
Jailed activist Akhil Gogoi also secured a victory won from the Sibsagar seat.
Addressing a press conference, Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala conceded defeat and promised that the party would continue to play the role of an effective opposition in the state.
Although the BJP has secured a win, it is unclear if Sonowal will continue as the Chief Minister.
Speaking about the next Chief Minister, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said, "The choice of leader of a legislative party is something which is decided by democratic means. Once results are notified and assembly is constituted, a due decision would be taken with cognizance of highest opulence of our party."
Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has risen in prominence in the BJP since he joined the party in 2015 from the Congress, is one of the contenders for the coveted post. He played a key role in the expanding BJP's footprint in Assam as also other states of the northeast.
In the 2016 elections, BJP and its allies won 86 out of 126 seats ousting the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government which ruled the state for 15 years.
( With inputs from ANI )
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