Assam Elections 2026: The political battle for the 2026 Assam Assembly elections intensified on Sunday, with the ruling BJP and the opposition Assam Sonmilito Morcha (ASM) trading accusations and revealing initial strategies for the high-profile contest.
At an event in Rangapara, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma predicted that the Congress would contest only 22 assembly seats in the upcoming elections. He also named some of the seats where he claimed the alliance would field candidates, including Srijangram, Baghbar, Mandia, Samaria, and Dalgaon.
The Chief Minister also accused the Congress of running its political machinery on funds collected from the “Miya” community, saying the party relies heavily on their votes and calling them the Congress’s “oxygen.”
Sarma alleged, “They will contest 22 seats and will extort huge amounts of money from candidates. They have already signaled this to the candidates. They have been asked to pay ₹1 crore in advance and ₹3 crore later.” He also said that the BJP government has done “a lot” for the community through welfare schemes like Orunodoi and MMUA, and warned that the opposition will face serious challenges in the 2026 elections. Outlining the BJP’s roadmap, Sarma had previously said that the ruling NDA alliance plans to contest 103 of the state’s 126 assembly seats.
He said, “JP Nadda’s BJP Parliamentary Committee will decide on the candidates. It has always been our endeavor to bring young people into the party. And as always, we will try to include more women candidates in our list.” Meanwhile, preparations for the 2026 elections have begun in the opposition camp as well. The Congress has already launched its mass-contact campaign, Raijor Podulit, Raijor Congress. Party leaders said the aim was to “bridge the gap between leaders and the people,” listen directly to public concerns, and rebuild trust in the Congress as a people-centric party.
Taking a jab at the Chief Minister, the Leader of the Opposition on Sunday said he didn’t understand the way Sarma was using the term “Miya community.” He said at a meeting, “According to the Assam Accord, those who should stay in Assam should stay, and those who cannot stay; the government should show real courage to send them back.” Another ASM ally, the Raijor Dal, is preparing to launch its campaign for the 2026 general elections on December 1. Party chief Akhil Gogoi said on Sunday that their campaign would formally begin that day, with posters and grassroots mobilization in all constituencies.
Claiming vigorous preparations, Gogoi said the alliance is working “day and night” to organize its outreach. Earlier, a rift in the re-formed front was hinted at when the Congress expressed concern over Akhil Gogoi’s statements to the press and accused him of “breaking the agreement” reached during the first meeting of the Assam Sonmilito Morcha on November 12. Sarma responded sharply, launching a personal attack on Gogoi and accusing him of political vacillation. He alleged that Gogoi frequently shifts his loyalties and questioned his credibility as a leader. In short, the political atmosphere in Assam is heating up, with both the ruling and opposition camps quickly preparing for the 2026 assembly elections.
