New faces must enter BJP or the party will die: Himanta Biswa Sarma ahead of 2026 polls

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party must induct new faces in every election cycle to remain politically alive and relevant. He warned that the party would “die” if it failed to bring in fresh leadership, especially from the younger generation.

Speaking on the BJP’s preparations for the 2026 Assembly elections, Sarma said that the state’s ruling alliance — comprising the AGP, BJP, UPPL, and BPF — has begun gearing up for the polls. He added that the party’s manifesto management committee would be announced today, and from tomorrow, the BJP would enter full election mode. Candidate-level surveys have already started across constituencies, he said.

According to the Chief Minister, discussions with AGP will begin within the next two days, followed by meetings with BPF and UPPL leaders. “We can manage everything smoothly, but we will also have to face some challenges,” he said.

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Sarma also commented on the political scenario in Lower Assam, stressing the need for the ruling party to maintain a level of pressure on the ground. “In Lower Assam, if people sit back quietly, it means we are in trouble. It indicates the opposition base is strong. We have not applied pressure for many days, so people have started speaking out. Now our government will apply some pressure again. If we continue for 10–15 years, things will naturally fall into place,” he said.

Reiterating the need for generational transition within the BJP, Sarma said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah also prefer introducing 5–10 new faces in every election. “The BJP is not a party where only old leaders get tickets. If we do not bring in new faces, the party will die. Personally, I also want the younger generation to enter politics,” he added.

The Chief Minister’s remarks underline an internal push within the BJP to refresh its organisational structure ahead of the crucial 2026 state elections.