2 min readGuwahatiMay 5, 2026 03:56 AM IST
The BJP has retained power in Assam with a bigger mandate than it has ever had in the state. Here are the key takeaways from the 2026 Assam Assembly election:
Absolute majority
A decade after it first came to power in Assam, the BJP is stronger than ever. It has clinched its first-ever absolute majority in the state by cornering 82 of the total 126 seats. It had won 60 seats in each of the two previous elections. This time, along with its allies AGP and BPF, the NDA has won 102 seats in the state.
Himanta factor
The Himanta Biswa Sarma factor in the BJP’s unprecedented sweep is undeniable. This was the first election where he was seeking re-election as a Chief Minister, and he led the campaign from the front. Turning 10 years of BJP rule around to a strongest-ever performance for the party in the state, his relentless rise as a political force continues.
Congress debacle
The Congress has registered its worst-ever performance in the state, winning just 19 seats and being further cornered into becoming a party that only receives the support of the minority voters. It has won only one out of the 43 seats in Upper and North Assam, and has lost in all tribal seats.
Gaurav Gogoi’s loss
Adding insult to the Congress’s injury is party state chief Gaurav Gogoi’s loss from the Jorhat, which is part of the Jorhat parliamentary constituency, which he represents.
AIUDF’s rout
While the BJP has won all but two of the state’s seats where ethnic Assamese, tribal and Hindu voters make up the bulk of the electorate, the AIUDF has been relegated to just two seats in the Assam Assembly. It had won 16 seats in the 2021 election, and this is its worst performance since its formation in 2005. The outcome this time shows a continuation in the pattern of consolidation of Muslim votes behind the Congress, which was seen in the 2024 LS election when AIUDF supremo Badruddin Ajmal suffered a resounding loss to the Congress. However, Ajmal himself continues to cling to his political presence, registering an individual win from the Binnakandi seat.
