Congress will secure two-thirds in Assam, not BJP: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar

DK Shivakumar, the Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Indian National Congress's senior observer for the Assam Assembly elections, has claimed that the Congress will secure a two-thirds majority in the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, pushing back against similar assertions made by Amit Shah.

Rejecting the Union Home Minister’s projection of a sweeping Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) victory, Shivakumar said the outcome would favour his party instead. “Mr Amit Shah is saying they (BJP) will win two-thirds seats, but we will win two-thirds, and they will win one-third,” he stated, expressing confidence in a decisive mandate for Congress.

The exchange reflects intensifying political rhetoric as campaigning gathers pace ahead of the polls, with both parties projecting strong electoral performances.

At a rally in Nalbari on 29 March, Shah launched a sharp attack on the Congress, accusing it of pursuing vote-bank politics and altering Assam’s demographic composition. He alleged that areas such as Dhubri and neighbouring districts are “teeming with infiltrators”, claiming past Congress governments had failed to curb illegal migration.

“The Congress government had kept the doors open for infiltrators inside Assam for years,” Shah said, adding that the current administration under Himanta Biswa Sarma has strengthened border controls and “reclaimed 1.25 lakh acres of land that had been occupied by infiltrators”.

Shah also asserted that law and order had improved significantly under BJP rule, stating that incidents of violence and bomb blasts have declined over the past decade. Emphasising cultural identity, he remarked, “This land, soil and culture belong to us. No infiltrator has any right over it.”

He further announced plans to implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Assam, saying the measure would promote equality and address practices such as multiple marriages.

Polling for all 126 Assembly constituencies is scheduled for 9 April, with vote counting set for 4 May, according to the Election Commission of India.

The election is expected to be a direct contest between the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Congress. The BJP, led in the state by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is aiming for a third consecutive term, while the Congress is seeking to return to power.