The Assam Assembly election is set to witness a direct contest between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, which is aiming for a political comeback.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is aiming for a second term, while the Indian National Congress is banking on anti-incumbency to stage a comeback after a decade.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is campaigning on Sarma’s leadership alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whereas the Congress has put forward Gaurav Gogoi, son of former CM Tarun Gogoi.
With major issues like immigration and corruption in focus, both the ruling NDA and the Congress have aligned with smaller parties to prevent vote division.
Assam’s minor players: What role do they play?
Assam’s politics, traditionally a two-way contest, has also witnessed the presence of several minor yet significant players.
Akhil Gogoi’s Raijor Dal and the Assam Jatiya Parishad, born out of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, remain key players in Assam politics, where illegal immigration is a major issue. Both parties are contesting this election in alliance with the Indian National Congress.
In the last election, the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) did not win any seats, while Akhil Gogoi’s Raijor Dal managed to secure one. This time, Raijor Dal is contesting 11 seats and AJP 8.
Apart from these two parties, the Indian National Congress has also tied up with smaller parties such as the Communist Party of India (Marxist), All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation.
In the NDA camp, the Bharatiya Janata Party is allied with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), which won nine and four seats respectively in the previous election.
Lone wolf factor
Badruddin Ajmal’s All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and Pramod Boro’s United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) are contesting the Assam elections independently. Meanwhile, Gaurav Gogoi, the Congress’s leading face, has ruled out any alliance with the AIUDF this time. Several party leaders have also left the AIUDF amid concerns over its declining popularity among Muslims, its primary support base.
In the 2021 elections, the Indian National Congress had allied with the AIUDF to prevent a split in minority votes, with the party winning 16 seats. However, in the current election, the AIUDF has secured support from Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), reportedly aiming to consolidate minority voters.
The United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), which exited the BJP-led alliance citing ‘ideological differences,’ has chosen to contest independently in Assam.
The party is fielding candidates in 21 seats and aims to strengthen its presence in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), along with its traditional strongholds.
Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced 20 candidates in the state so far, while Mamata Banerjee’s All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) has finalized 22 candidates for the neighbouring state.