Opposition parties in Assam on Friday jointly filed a police complaint at the Dispur Police Station accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of plotting to manipulate electoral rolls ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The complaint was submitted by Congress, CPI(M), Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), and CPI(ML)L. It specifically names Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia, alleging that he orchestrated a plan to remove opposition supporters’ names from voter lists in 60 legislative assembly constituencies.
Alleged Role of Minister Ashok Singhal and Zoom Meeting Details
According to the complaint, the BJP president delegated Assam cabinet minister Ashok Singhal to carry out the deletions. The parties claimed this directive was given during a Zoom meeting held on January 4, 2026, where BJP MLAs were instructed to ensure the removal of certain voters’ names. Opposition leaders called this an “evil design” to disenfranchise voters who support rival parties. They demanded that police secure and review the video conference footage, which they say contains critical evidence supporting their allegations.
Accusations of Large-Scale Voter Deletion and Demand for Legal Action
The complaint described the alleged plan as a large-scale conspiracy to erase genuine voters from the electoral rolls and urged authorities to register a case under relevant legal provisions to safeguard democracy. While Dispur Police confirmed receiving the complaint, they have not clarified whether an FIR has been filed yet. Several opposition leaders, including Congress MP Rakibul Hussain, former MP Ripun Bora, Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress President Mira Borthakur, AJP President Lurinjyoti Gogoi, and Raijor Dal leader Rasel Hussain, were present during the complaint submission.
Opposition Leaders Demand Transparency and Condemn BJP
Speaking to the media, Ripun Bora alleged that clear instructions were issued during the January 4 meeting, directing BJP MLAs and district presidents to prepare lists of voters unlikely to support BJP and push for their removal. He accused Dilip Saikia of violating Election Commission rules and vowed to pursue legal action. AJP President Lurinjyoti Gogoi said the BJP’s conspiracy stems from fear of defeat, accusing them of trying to win through “vote theft.” He demanded the release of the video footage to prove or disprove the allegations. Earlier, Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia also claimed a secret BJP directive to include 5,000 to 10,000 non-Assamese names in each constituency at the last moment to influence the polls. The ongoing Special Revision of electoral rolls in Assam is due to conclude with the final voter list release on February 10.
