High turnout signals NDA victory in Assam, claims AGP's Atul Bora

Following the conclusion of the high-stakes 2026 Assam Assembly elections, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) president Atul Bora expressed strong confidence that the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is poised for a decisive victory, predicting that the coalition would secure around 90 seats in the 126-member Assembly.

Speaking to media in Golaghat, Bora hailed the massive voter participation as a testament to the strength of democratic values in the state. “Democracy is strong in Assam; that’s why so many people have voted. AGP’s seats will also increase, and BJP’s seats will also increase. NDA should get around 90 seats,” he said.

Assam witnessed a record-breaking voter turnout on April 9, with official estimates placing the final polling figure at approximately 85.38 per cent, surpassing the 82.04 per cent recorded in the 2021 Assembly elections. The high participation has sparked contrasting interpretations among political stakeholders.

The NDA contested the elections with a well-defined seat-sharing arrangement, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) contesting around 89 seats, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) fielding candidates in 26 seats as the primary regional ally, and the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) contesting 11 seats, mainly in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

While the opposition, led by Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, has interpreted the unprecedented turnout as a sign of a “vote for change,” Bora and other NDA leaders maintain that it reflects a pro-incumbency wave driven by the government’s developmental initiatives.

Echoing this sentiment, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described the election as more than just a political contest, calling it a “movement” to safeguard Assam’s culture, identity, and land. He noted that in several polling booths, voter participation reportedly crossed 95 per cent, underscoring what he termed a historic democratic exercise.

With polling now complete, the state enters a crucial waiting period. The fate of 722 candidates will be determined when the counting of votes takes place on May 4, 2026.