HIMANTA BISWA SARMA POWERS BJP TO THIRD TERM IN ASSAM

New Delhi, May 04, 2026 : While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) celebrates a breakthrough in West Bengal, it has also reinforced its stronghold in the Northeast. On Monday, Himanta Biswa Sarma secured a second consecutive term as Chief Minister of Assam, riding on support for his governance and development agenda.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) crossed the majority mark, leading or winning in 102 seats in the 126-member Assembly. The results also pointed to a polarised contest, with the BJP sweeping indigenous and urban belts, while minority votes appeared split between the Congress and other parties such as Badruddin Ajmal’s All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF).

The BJP’s vote share rose from 33.6 per cent in 2016 to 38.59 per cent in 2026, marking a gain of around five percentage points.

In contrast, the AIUDF’s vote share declined to 5.29 per cent, compared to 9.4 per cent earlier, amid the impact of constituency delimitation. The Congress vote share remained largely stable, slipping marginally from 30 per cent in 2021 to 29.26 per cent in 2026. Of the Congress candidates leading, a majority are from minority communities.

Sarma registered a decisive victory in Jalukbari, securing 1,12,186 votes and defeating his Congress rival by a margin of over 80,000.

In a key upset, senior Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi lost the Jorhat seat to BJP’s Hitendra Nath Goswami by 23,182 votes. Goswami secured 69,439 votes, while Gogoi polled 46,257, according to the Election Commission of India.

As per ECI data, the BJP was leading in 52 seats and had won 30, while its allies—the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF)—were leading in 20 seats.

The Congress was leading in 18 seats and had won one, while its ally Raijor Dal (RJRD) was leading in two seats. The AIUDF had won one seat and was leading in another.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia described the outcome as a “historic mandate,” linking it to the party’s broader gains, including its performance in West Bengal.

Sonowal thanked voters for their support, attributing the mandate to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Saikia also expressed gratitude to voters, calling the result a reflection of public trust in the BJP’s leadership.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the BJP headquarters in New Delhi later in the evening.

The results indicate a consolidation of the BJP’s position in Assam, with the electoral contest increasingly centred around the BJP and the Congress.