Age is no factor in contesting elections with septugenarians competing with youths in their 20s to win an entry to Assam assembly during the second phase of polling on April 11.
Coverage: Assembly election 2011
While the veterans, including a former chief minister and two ex ministers, in their 70s are trying their electoral fortunes for multiple terms in the state assembly, two candidates are 27 year old.
Former two-time chief minister and revenue minister in the present ministry 79-year-old Dr Bhumidhar Barman, is the oldest among the candidates. He is contesting as a Congress nominee from Barkhetry.
Elected for the first time in 1967, this physician turned politician is contesting for the seventh time. Barman was chief minister for some time after the death of Hiteshwar Saikia and also acting chief minister when Tarun Gogoi was away for a bypass heart surgery last year.
The other septugenarians in the fray are 75-year-old Upendra Nath Talukdar (CPI) for Gauhati (rpt Gauhati) East, 73-year-olds Independent Nanda Medhi for Nalbari and Umesh Chandra Das of Samajbadi Party for Gauhati East.
While Najmul Haque of SUCI(Communist) from Goalpara West and former minister Ardhendu Dey of Congress contesting for the fifth term from Hojai are 71-year olds, former minister Thaneswar Boro of AGP who is contesting for the fourth term Khaenur Ahmed of AIUDF who is a candidate for Rangiya constituency are 70-year olds.
The two youngest contestants are Tapan Muchahary of BJP for Sidli (ST) and Dhrubojyoti Banikya of SUCI(C) for Abhayapuri South (SC), both 27-year olds.
The first phase of elections on April 4 had twelve septugenarians, including Tarun Gogoi (74) as Congress nominee from Titabar for the third term.
The youngest were four 25 year old youths who were first timers in the electoral battle.
Altogether 496 contestants, including 47 women, will be testing their political fortune in 64 constituencies of the 126-member House on April 11.
