Guwahati: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared the BJP’s performance in the ongoing Assam panchayat elections as “historic,” projecting a potential win of 104 seats in the 2026 state assembly elections for the ruling NDA alliance.
Speaking to reporters amidst the vote counting, Sarma emphasized the party’s strong showing in the rural polls, stating, “The BJP is marching ahead to capture more than 300 seats in Zilla Parishad and it is historic. However, counting is still underway.”
Sarma articulated that while the panchayat elections reflect rural sentiments, the assembly polls encompass both rural and urban areas, where the BJP traditionally holds a strong position. He qualified his projection by saying, “Presently, the BJP-led alliance’s potential in Assam is 104 seats. However, there is a difference between potential and reality. We hope that we will win 95 seats. But everything depends on the public mood.”
Data released by the Assam State Election Commission (ASEC) indicates that the BJP has already secured 242 Anchalik Panchayat seats, with its ally, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), winning 30. The opposition Congress trails with 34 seats, followed by Independents at 14, and one seat each for Raijor Dal and AIUDF. In the Zilla Parishad elections, the BJP has won 26 seats and the AGP 3, while opposition parties are yet to secure any seats.
Thousands of Gram Panchayat (GP) seats, contested without party affiliations, have also been declared, with all winners technically classified as Independents. Addressing the upcoming Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) elections, Sarma confirmed that the BJP would contest independently in select constituencies while maintaining its alliance with the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), stating, “We will fight alone in BTR, but not in all seats. We will contest only where we are strong. Our alliance with UPPL remains intact.”
Currently, in the 126-member Assam Assembly, the BJP holds 64 seats, with allies AGP and UPPL possessing 9 and 7 seats respectively. The Congress has 26 MLAs, AIUDF 15, BPF 3, CPI(M) 1, and there is one Independent legislator. Political analysts suggest that the BJP’s significant lead in the rural elections is likely to provide a considerable boost in momentum as the state approaches the 2026 assembly elections, underscoring the ruling party’s strong reach at the grassroots level.
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