Assam

PM Modi also laid the foundation stone of various projects in Assam. He laid foundation stones for projects worth more than Rs 500 crore, related to education and healthcare including, Veterinary College (Diphu), Degree College (West Karbi Anglong) and Agricultural College (Kolonga, West Karbi Anglong). These projects will bring new opportunities for skilling and employment in the region. The PM also laid the foundation stone for more than 2950 Amrit Sarovar projects.

The Assam government declared a local holiday on Thursday within the jurisdiction of Dibrugarh and Karbi Anglong districts in view of Prime Minister's visit. According to the officials, Modi is scheduled to reach Dimapur (Nagaland) airport and from there, he will go to Diphu in Assam's Karbi Anglong district by helicopter to address a rally -- 'unity, peace and development rally' at Loringthepi and lay the foundation of some development projects worth over Rs 500 crore.

The police from Barpeta district arrested Mevani again, but refused to disclose in which case the Gujarat MLA was re-arrested. The Gujarat legislator was first arrested on Wednesday night in connection with an "objectionable" comment against the Prime Minister he made through a tweet on April 18. Mevani was flown to Guwahati on Thursday morning from where he was taken to Kokrajhar by road.

The saffron party won 58 seats, while one each went in favour of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP). According to the trends and results of the Assam State Election Commission, the BJP (52 wards) and its ally Asom Gana Parishad (six wards) won in 58 wards, including the three which were earlier elected unopposed by the saffron party candidates.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded 40 candidates, giving added importance to the GMC elections while the ruling BJP is making all out efforts to win the polls. After its success in the recent Punjab Assembly elections and buoyed by its first taste of success in two municipal wards in Lakhimpur and Tinsukia districts in last month's civic polls, the AAP is seeking to expand its base in Assam and in the northeastern region.

"The national conference of Assembly Speakers will be in Assam on April 11 and April 12. I will be attending that conference. In the meeting, the issue of external interference in the assembly affairs will be raised and discussed," Banerjee told media persons here, in a hint towards Governor, Jagdeep Dhankhar.

The AFSPA has been in force in Assam since 1990 and as per the Centre's announcement on Thursday, it would be removed completely from 23 districts, and would remain enforced in 9 districts and one sub-division in Assam with effect from Friday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is leading in the early trends of the bypoll results in Assam's Majuli Assembly constituency. The bypoll at this constituency was necessitated after former Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal tendered his resignation from the Assembly. As per Election Commission update around 10.00 a.m., BJP's candidate Bhuban Gam had secured 9,173 votes while Assam Jatiya Parishad's Chittaranjan Basumatary was trailing with 2,515 votes.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has swept the civic bodies polls in Assam securing a majority in 75 municipal boards while its ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) wrested two, election officials said on Wednesday. The main opposition Congress managed to secure only Narayanpur Municipal board in Lakhimpur district, and independents bagged two boards -- Mariani Municipal Board and Hailakandi Municipal Board.