Assam to witness three phase Panchayat poll

GUWAHATI: Assam will witness three phase Panchayat polls. The polls will be litmus test for the ruling congress government. The first phase polling will take place on January 30. The second and third phase polling will take place on February 6 and 12.

Already chief minister, Tarun Gogoi had meeting with legislators, ministers and parliamentary secretaries on the poll preparedness. But party insiders claim that infighting in the party has emerged as a major area of concern.

This poll will also test the leadership of Prafulla Kumar Mahanta who is leading Asom Gana Parishad ( AGP) after a gap of 10 years. Former two time chief minister Mahanta was elected party president early this year.

AGP has been facing repeated electoral drubbing since 2001. All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) which has emerged as main opposition party in state legislature started preparations for the polls.

State Election Commissioner Biren Dutta explained that given the inflation, the expenditure of the candidates have been hiked this year. The expenditure of the Zila Parishad members has been increased to Rs 4 lakh which was earlier Rs 40,000. The expenditure of the Anchalik Panchayat members has been hiked to Rs one lakh which was earlier Rs 20,000.