“The way the trends are moving, it feels like we are going to win. I don’t want to criticise anyone, but people have realised that they need development and change,” Sharma said.

“The votes the BJP-AGP alliance has received in minority areas are proof that people want development. We have connected with people at the grassroots level, and this connect is really necessary.

People have proved that if they stand with development and change, they can move forward. People have now refused to follow a stance centred around religion,” he added.

On Samaguri, which has traditionally been a Congress stronghold, Sharma said the party had taken its support for granted. 30 pm, Sharma is leading with 4,20,705 votes, followed by AIUDF candidate Badruddin Ajmal with 3,10,076 votes.

Congress candidate Shibamoni Bora has secured 75,908 votes. “In Hindu-majority areas, Devasish will lead, while in minority areas, I will lead, and Congress will remain in third position.

At some point, Devasish’s pace will slow down and our graph will rise. I am 110% sure we will win,” Ajmal said.

“During the field assessment, the way we received people’s support made us confident. But now things are slowly changing.

Due to AIUDF, the BJP was rising. If we can diminish AIUDF, the BJP will automatically go down.

But through this election, it can be seen that AIUDF is rising,” he said. Counting is underway at two centres in Nagaon — Dawson Higher Secondary School and Nagaon Government Boys’ School — with 14 tables at each centre.

A total of 15 candidates are in the fray in the bypoll. With counting still underway, BJP’s Devasish Sharma is leading the race, followed by AIUDF's Ajmal and Congress’s Shibamoni in third place.

The counting will determine the final margin of victory and the fate of the three candidates in the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll.