Assam Assembly Elections 2026 | State gears up for major fight between BJP, Congress-led alliances

Guwahati: The major fight in the Assembly elections in Assam,  scheduled on April 9, is likely to be between two alliances, led by ruling BJP and Opposition Congress, respectively.

Eyes will also be on Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF, a party having base among the state's Muslims (about 35% of the population) but gearing up for a solo fight this time with the Opposition Congress deciding to maintain distance from it, mainly to face BJP's Hindu-Muslim narrative. 

Almost similar to 2021, the poll battle in the Northeastern state is likely to be on issues centered around identity politics and the agenda for development. 

Leadership fight: 

The fight, however, is likely to be different on the leadership front compared to 2021 with Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, for the first time, leading an alliance of the Opposition parties with a target to oust the ruling alliance led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

For Sarma, this is going to be the first Assembly elections with him at the helm of power as the Chief Minister. Sarbananda Sonowal was the CM during the 2021 polls but BJP replaced him with Sarma after the results. A victory for BJP will also be a victory for Sarma as the CM. "People of Assam have already decided to give us the mandate again due to the kind of steps we have taken to protect the identity and culture of the indigenous people and the development works. People are happy over our fight against the infiltrators, corruption free recruitment, establishement of peace and the efforts to invite investments and crate jobs," Sarma said. 

With a target to form government for the third straight term, BJP has retained its ally since 2016, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) but ousted United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), its ally since 2021. After a gap of five years, the ruling party has re-inducted Bodoland People's Front (BPF), UPPL's rival in Bodoland region. In 2021, the BPF had joined the Congress-led alliance after its ties with BJP broke over seat sharing arrangements. UPPL has not yet made its stand clear. 

BJP, however, has not yet released the name of the candidates. 

Congress, on the other hand, has formed an alliance with Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP), a local party formed in 2020, the CPM, CPI (ML) and another party from two hill districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao. The party's efforts to finalise seat sharing with Raijor Dal, another regional party led by MLA Akhil Gogoi, however, has not yet been finalised. Gaurav, son of former CM Tarun Gogoi, has been constantly targetting CM Sarma alleging corruption as well as BJP's failure to fulfill its pre-poll promises, particularly the Scheduled Tribe status to six more ethnic communities. Congress is also trying to focus more on the indigenous communities in order to counter BJP's efforts to paint it as "pro-Muslim" party.