Assam is set to hold elections for its 126-member assembly, with a direct contest expected between the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led opposition. Key candidates and constituencies are in focus as the state prepares to vote.
The 2026 election appears to have reinforced a new political formula in Assam: Strong organisation, continuous grassroots engagement, effective alliance management and welfare-based voter outreach.
Veteran BJP leader Hitendra Nath Goswami defeated Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi in Jorhat, securing his sixth term in the assembly. Goswami's grassroots campaign and extensive experience led to his victory.
'They are not fear-mongering just for votes, this is the repulsive Hindutva ideology in true form'
The controversy has embarrassed the ruling coalition because Keshab Mahanta is one of the senior-most leaders of the Asom Gana Parishad, an NDA constituent.
'The BJP successfully merged governance with identity. That's a powerful combination in Assam's political context.'
In the Opposition camp, the Congress, which contested 99 seats, won 19 constituencies, while the Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF and Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal secured two seats each, and the Trinamool Congress bagged one constituency.
The delimitation of constituencies, which aimed to reduce the influence of minority candidates, is a significant factor in the NDA's strong performance in the Assam elections, where they secured a record 102 seats. The 2023 delimitation exercise redrew constituencies, reserving some Muslim-majority seats for indigenous communities, which increased the BJP and its allies' seat count.
Former poll strategist Prashant Kishor made a stunning electoral debut by winning Bihar's Bankipur assembly seat, a long-held BJP bastion. Concurrently, the Congress retained the Datia assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh, while the BJP successfully held onto the Manjalpur seat in Gujarat, showcasing mixed results for the ruling and opposition parties in these crucial by-elections.
The delimitation in Assam has quietly changed the political scene, raising questions about whether new constituency boundaries helped the BJP by spreading out Muslim-majority voters.
Former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the BJP, marking a significant political shift ahead of the upcoming Assam assembly polls.
The BJP is currently leading in eight out of the 13 seats in Assam's Barak Valley, while the Congress is ahead in the remaining five constituencies, according to the latest Election Commission data.
'The BJP's tally may dip, but the NDA is likely to retain power.'
The Japanese PM's visit to Assam comes amid festering uneasiness in Tokyo about Beijing's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
Three former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MPs, including Sushmita Dev and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday and, within hours, were named the saffron party's candidates for the Rajya Sabha bypolls from West Bengal, underlining both their political rehabilitation and the party's calibrated shift in inducting leaders from the erstwhile ruling dispensation.
Exit polls predict a BJP victory in Assam and an edge in West Bengal, a DMK government in Tamil Nadu, and a Congress-led UDF comeback in Kerala.
The Assam Assembly has passed the Uniform Civil Code Bill, aiming to establish a common legal framework for marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships, irrespective of religion. This makes Assam the third state in India to pass such a bill, following Uttarakhand and Gujarat.
BJP workers celebrated in West Bengal as the party took an early lead in the state assembly elections, raising slogans and exchanging sweets.
Mamata Banerjee accuses the BJP of importing voters for the Assam elections and plotting similar interference in West Bengal, raising concerns about electoral integrity and potential cultural restrictions.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has refuted claims by the TMC that the BJP would ban meat and fish consumption if it wins the West Bengal assembly elections. Sarma clarified that only beef consumption is restricted in Assam and accused the TMC of wanting to continue cattle smuggling to Bangladesh for their own benefit.
Himanta Biswa Sarma has been elected as the leader of the BJP-led NDA in the Assam assembly, paving the way for his second consecutive term as chief minister. The NDA secured a two-thirds majority in the recent assembly polls, with the BJP winning 82 seats and its allies AGP and BPF securing 10 seats each.
Assam minister Nandita Garlosa has joined the Congress party after being denied a BJP ticket for the upcoming assembly elections. She will contest from the Haflong constituency.
Trinamool Congress MP Sushmita Dev has resigned from the Rajya Sabha, becoming the second TMC MP to do so this week. Speculation suggests she may join the BJP, following a meeting with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, amidst a broader rebellion within the TMC after its recent electoral defeat.
The BJP is showing strong leads in West Bengal and Assam, while actor Vijay's party is making a significant debut in Tamil Nadu. The Congress is ahead in Kerala, offering some consolation amid the changing political landscape in the state elections.
Prateek Bordoloi's withdrawal after his father's BJP switch underscores Congress' mounting challenges ahead of the Assam elections.
Himanta Biswa Sarma was sworn in as the chief minister of Assam for a second consecutive term, along with four other ministers, marking the formation of the third successive NDA government in the state.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday claimed India's neighbours wanted to "break up" Assam by taking advantage of the unrest in the state earlier, but their "dreams were shattered" as the Narendra Modi government brought peace to the region.
'The real fault line in Assam is not Hindu versus Muslim. It is Assamese versus Bengali -- and within that, the specific anxiety about undocumented Bangladeshi settlers claiming land and altering the demographic balance of the state.'
Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned following an uproar over an alleged derogatory 'lungiwala' remark made by BJP MP Sushmita Dev against CPI(M)'s John Brittas, who had moved a privilege motion. Dev denied the accusation, stating she had not cast aspersions on any state's attire.
Prashant Kishor and Dr Jahnavi Das first met while working on a United Nations public health initiative.
Voting has commenced for the Assembly elections in Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry, with millions of voters deciding the fate of numerous candidates across various constituencies. The elections are crucial for determining the future governance and political landscape of these regions.
The BJP has announced its initial list of 88 candidates for the Assam Assembly elections, featuring key contests and strategic reassignments, including Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's bid to retain his Jalukbari seat.
The opposition parties, including Congress, Raijor Dal and Trinamool Congress, opposed the move and demanded wider consultation with all the stakeholders before its introduction.
If current trends persist, the Congress risks becoming increasingly regionally concentrated, dependent on a handful of states rather than functioning as a truly pan-India political force.
The newly elected BJP-led NDA government in Assam will be sworn in on May 12, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other dignitaries expected to attend. Preparations are underway to ensure a smooth and secure ceremony.
The Supreme Court has agreed to consider a plea seeking action against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over a viral video allegedly showing him taking aim and firing with a rifle at members of the Muslim community.
In its list of 26 candidates for Thursday's assembly elections, 13 are from the Bengali-speaking Muslim community -- a demographic that was at the centre of the original Assam agitation.
NDA partner Bodoland People's Front (BPF) is expected to secure a majority of the 15 Assembly seats in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) of Assam, leading in 10 constituencies, according to Election Commission data. The BJP, a major partner in the ruling NDA, leads in three seats, while the UPPL and Congress are ahead in one seat each.
If the government wishes that protests like the one that took place at Jantar Mantar during the last few weeks should not recur, it must refocus its energies on jobs, not just the examination system, points out A K Bhattacharya.
A man was detained at the swearing-in ceremony of the new Assam government after being found with live bullets during security screening. The incident occurred shortly before the oath-taking ceremony, attended by high-profile BJP leaders and other dignitaries.
