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.
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.
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.
The outcome of the assembly elections will not only determine AIUDF's immediate relevance but could also shape its long-term role in Assam's political landscape.
Election affidavits in Assam have unveiled significant financial disparities among key candidates, with some declaring extensive assets, multiple bank accounts, and numerous vehicles, while others report more modest holdings.
Police in Arunachal Pradesh have busted a sex racket operating from a resort in Roing, rescuing four women and arresting several individuals.
The opening rounds of the Junior and Youth National Table Tennis Championships saw dominant performances from leading teams, while some lower-ranked teams put up a strong fight.
Despite recent gains, the BJP-led NDA is unlikely to achieve a two-thirds majority in the Rajya Sabha in the near future, highlighting the challenges in passing key legislation requiring constitutional amendments.
The Supreme Court has declined to entertain petitions seeking action against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma regarding a viral video, advising petitioners to approach the Gauhati High Court instead.
Petrol and diesel prices in India have been increased by Rs 3 per litre each, marking the first rate hike in over four years. This decision follows a period of stable prices during recent state elections, despite rising global crude oil prices and significant losses for fuel retailers.
A downsizing in the prime minister's convoy was implemented in his recent domestic visits, official sources said.
'Once demographic fear becomes campaign language, it legitimises social targeting.'
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of corruption and land grabbing, promising action if the Congress party wins the upcoming elections in Assam. Gandhi also criticised the BJP's governance and economic policies.
The CM recently said that only'miyas' were being 'harassed' during the ongoing Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls in the state, as they cannot be allowed to vote in Assam, and claimed that no Assamese -- Hindus or Muslims -- were facing any problem in the exercise. Opposition parties criticised him for this comment.
The Congress party has accused the government of using women's reservation as a pretext to push through delimitation, arguing that the women's quota law should be implemented immediately based on the current Lok Sabha strength.
The Election Commission will examine a complaint filed by opposition parties alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation violated the Model Code of Conduct for elections.
It is likely to inundate the lower Assam districts of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Nalbari, official sources said in Guwahati on Saturday.
Security forces maintained a round-the-clock vigil in lower Assam districts, where violence resurfaced, and elsewhere in view of the anti-talk ULFA faction threatening major strikes ahead of Independence day celebrations.
The BJP and the Opposition have engaged in a war of words over the implementation of the women's reservation bill, which aims to reserve seats for women in legislatures. The bill was defeated in the Lower House, leading to accusations and counter-accusations between the parties.
Purnendu Maji and Srinivas Bhogle present Rediff's Most Valuable Player Index of IPL 2026 after Game 24.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claims that 'Miyas' vote unitedly, leading to their political advancement, while the votes of 'our people' are scattered. He also asserted the need to maintain pressure on illegal settlers in Lower Assam.
'The reason why they rushed through the bill was they wanted to avoid using the 2026 Census because the 2026 Census by their own decision will be a caste census.' 'The BJP knows that a significant share of the OBCs who will get captured in the census, for the first time after the 1931 Census, are against the BJP. Only a segment of the OBCs are in their favour.' 'So they wanted to avoid the OBC reservation among women, which is a demand of a lot of Opposition parties.'
In the heart of lower Assam -- Nalbari, Baksa and Barpeta districts -- the battle of ballot is basically confined to the regional Asom Gana Parishad and the ruling Congress majority of the total 14 constituencies, while the All India United Democratic Front and the Bodo People's Front are emerging front runners in rest of the constituencies.
The Indian government reports over 93,000 vacant posts in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles, impacting law enforcement and security capabilities. Recruitment efforts are underway to address the shortfall.
Life was hit in lower Assam for the second day on Tuesday in three bandhs called to press for Bodoland and Kamtapur, while Karbi Anglong, which had erupted over statehood demand on the lines of Telangana, was slowly limping back to normal.
Tea planters in Darjeeling have raised that a shortage of commercial LPG, triggered by the ongoing conflict in West Asia, could hit tea processing during the first flush, the delicate early-season harvest that commands the highest premiums and often sets the tone for the year.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has accused Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi of having a 'deeper connection' with a Pakistani national and violating FCRA rules, prompting calls for a national probe.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is promoting India as a global hub for digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence, highlighting the government's incentives for data center investments and inviting the world's data to reside in India.
'We will give Rs 25,000 to parents having a second child or more at the time of delivery itself.'
The same technologies that enable State forces to monitor and strike insurgent camps are now being mirrored by non-State actors with increasing sophistication.
Residential areas now exist cheek by jowl with smokestacks, while convoys of heavy trucks rumble through narrow roads day and night, throwing up clouds of dust.
With improvement in the situation in strife-torn lower Assam areas where 56 people lost their lives, curfew was on Tuesday relaxed in Kokrajhar for two more hours, while night curfew continued in Chirang and Dhubri district.
Indian team management will heave a sigh of relief with Tilak Varma ticking all the boxes on his return to competitive cricket after a lower abdominal surgery as the 'A' team, comprising mostly of IPL stars, comfortably defeated the United States of America by 38 runs in a high-scoring warm-up game in Navi Mumbai on Monday.
Long-term climate and vegetation stability is why the one-horned rhinoceros survived in north east India even as it vanished from much of the subcontinent.
The Indian Navy has been recognized as the best marching contingent among the armed forces at the Republic Day Parade. Maharashtra won for states/UTs, and the Culture Ministry for ministries/departments.
Kaziranga remains a critical stronghold for tiger conservation in India, but the recent deaths underscore the growing challenges of managing a thriving population within a limited landscape.
Karnataka on shaky ground against Punjab despite Rahul's fifty; Desai puts Saurashtra on cusp of win
Retail inflation rose to a three-month high of 1.33 per cent in December 2025 mainly due to higher prices of kitchen essentials, including vegetables and protein-rich items.
'The BNP's election manifesto lists grievances against India, mirroring the attitude of past BNP governments.' 'Political parties have been careful not to say bad things about China.'
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's biggest challenge will be to find a new growth driver, particularly against the backdrop of a global economy ravaged by heightened uncertainty and fragmentation, financial markets on a precipice, and global commodity prices on a continued uptrend.
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