Congress cobbled up a grand alliance of Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), Raijor Dal, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), and All-Party Hill Leaders Conference. Congress has already declared 87 candidates and is likely to contest in 100 seats.
AJP was given 10 seats, Left parties three and two seats will be contested by the All-Party Hill Leaders Conference. Raijor Dal has been allotted 11 seats. Additionally, Goalpara East and Gauripur have been designated as “friendly contest” seats, where both parties will field candidates. All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) is going solo and declared 27 candidates. Party chief Badruddin Ajmal is contesting from Binnakandi.
PARTIES’ CONCERNS
BJP is facing internal dissidence after lists were announced. 21 candidates have been replaced. While two sitting MLA were renominated to the Upper House, a BJP sitting MLA, Bidya Sing Engleng, from Diphu passed away and BJP has fielded Niso Terangpi from this seat.
Four Congress leaders, who recently switched to BJP, have been given tickets including Pradyut Bordoloi (Dispur), Bhupen Kumar Borah (Bihpuria), Kamalakya Dey Purkayastha (Katigorah) and Sashi Kanta Das (Raha). In the BJP’s list, 28 are former Congressmen which has created a flutter in the BJP. Pradyut Bordoloi was given a ticket in less than 24 hours of joining.
Congress is also facing resistance from party workers after it decided to give several seats to allies. Party workers have vandalised party offices at many places.
Delimitation
This is the first assembly polls after delimitation of constituencies in 2023. Analysts said after the delimitation, the number of Muslim-dominated seats has reduced to 22 from 30. Muslims comprise 34% of the 3.12 crore population of Assam, of which 4% are indigenous Assamese Muslims and the remaining Bengalispeaking Muslims.
BJP ally AGP has fielded 13 Muslim candidates, which is 50% of its total candidates.
PERSONALITY CLASH
Unlike earlier, the BJP leadership has made the choice clear this time. Himanta Biswa Sarma will be the chief minister for the second term if voted to power. It was differences with Gaurav Gogoi which led to the exit of Sarma from Congress in 2015. Last year, the Congress leadership had sent Gogoi to Assam who is contesting from Jorhat seat. The 2026 election is a fight between Gogoi and Sarma.
TEA TRIBE VOTES
Recently, the Assam Cabinet approved a ₹30 increase in daily wages of tea garden workers. Increase in tea wages was a hotly contested issue in the 2021 assembly polls. Following this, wages in Brahmaputra valley will rise to ₹280 and will be ₹258 in the Barak valley. Himanta Sarma had said, “As an interim measure, the cabinet has decided to increase the wages by ₹30 with effect from April 1.”
The minimum daily wage of tea garden workers was last hiked by ₹18 in October 2023.
Assam has more than 10 lakh tea workers in the organised sector, working in about 850 big estates. The state produces roughly 55% of India’s tea. The tea belts of Brahmaputra and Barak valleys are home to more than 60 lakh people.
Tea tribes, who have a major influence in determining the winners in 30-35 seats, have gravitated to the BJP in the 2016 assembly polls. The Congress had guaranteed to increase the wages to ₹365 within six hours of forming the government.
BJP is projecting the development work done by the government in the last five years and measures initiated by Narendra Modi government. The Assam government claims to have recovered 1.5 lakh bighas of land from illegal occupants. The BJP has promised infiltrator-free Assam once voted to power.
BJP is also highlighting improved law and order and claiming an almost insurgent-free Assam as its achievements. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma distributed the benefits of a poverty alleviation scheme, Orunodoi 3.0, by transferring ₹9,000 to 40 lakh beneficiaries, the largest Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme in the state ever.
Himanta Sarma said the government not only plans to increase the scheme’s coverage to 100% eligible women but wants to provide free sugar, salt, dal and mustard oils if the BJP forms the next government. “Probably later, we may be able to give you half kg of tea leaves per month free,” he said.
Congress alleged that BJP is only creating beneficiaries and there is no real development in the state. The party said corruption is rife and has only benefited Sarma’s family members and close aides.
Congress’ campaign is that Assam’s identity has been compromised by BJP. Congress claimed that the BJP government, by bringing Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), has tried to dilute Assam’s identity and culture.
