Congress MP and candidate from Lok Sabha seat of Jorhat in Assam, Gaurav Gogoi on Friday urged voters to vote in large numbers to save democracy and the culture of the country.

“It is an important day today and I appeal to everyone to come out of their houses and cast their votes to save the democracy and the culture of the country,” Gaurav Gogoi told  .

 Gaurav Gogoi is facing BJP’s Topon Kumar Gogoi, the incumbent MP from Jorhat. His decision to contest the elections from Jorhat, instead of his family’s stronghold Kaziranga (erstwhile Kaliabor) — from where he is sitting MP — has made the contest interesting.

 The Lok Sabha polls for 14 seats in Assam will be held in three phases starting on April 19. Out of this, voting is underway for the five seats in the first phase on Friday.

BJP is contesting 11 out of 14 seats in Assam, while its ally parties, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), are contesting in two seats (Barpeta and Dhubri) and UPPL in one seat (Kokrajhar), respectively.

 Voting for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 began today across 102 parliamentary constituencies spread over 21 states and Union Territories as the mega seven-phase electoral exercise commenced at 7:00 am. Voters will exercise their franchise until 6:00 pm.

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking his third consecutive term, while the opposition bloc-INDIA- a coalition of opposing parties formed to take on the BJP in the general elections, is eyeing to oust him from power.

 The second phase will be held on April 26 and the remaining phases will be May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1 accordingly.The last general elections in 2019 were also held in seven phases.