Representational image. PTI

The Dhemaji Assembly constituency was won by the ruling BJP’s candidate Pradan Baruah in the 2016 Assembly polls. However, a bypoll was necessitated in 2017 after Baruah was elected as the MP from the Lakhimpur Lok Sabha.

The seat, however, remained with the BJP, with party candidate Ranoj Pegu securing a win in the bypolls. Pegu has also been fielded as the saffron party’s candidate for the 2021 Assembly polls. He faces Congress leader Sailen Sonowal, among other candidates.

The constituency is reserved for members of the Scheduled Tribes (ST) community. It falls under the Lakhimpur Lok Sabha segment and is part of the Dhemaji district.

The seat has been won by BJP-ally, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), in four elections from 1991 to 2001.

The three-phased elections for the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held on 27 March, 1 April and 6 April. Votes will be counted on 2 May.

The Dhemaji constituency will go to the polls on 27 March as part of the first phase of the 2021 Assam Assembly election.

Voter turnout in previous elections

There are a total number of 2,11,237 registered voters in the Dhemaji constituency, of which 1,08,573 are men and 1,02,664 are women.

The voter turnout in the 2016 Assembly election was 80.80 percent. Meanwhile, in the 2011 election, the voter turnout was 75.08 percent.

Past election results and winners

In 2016, Pradan Bharuah had won the seat by garnering 69,592 votes or 40.90 percent of the vote share. The runner-up was the Congress’ Sumitra Doley Patir, who won 50,471 votes or 29.66 percent of the vote share.

In the 2011 polls, Patir had won the seat with 59,633 votes. The runner-up was the AGP’s Paramananda Sonowal, who won 52,348 votes.

The Assam Assembly polls will be held to elect a total of 126 Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs).