NDA seat-sharing in Assam to be finalised by mid-March: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday, February 24, stated that the ruling NDA in the state will seal its much-anticipated seat-sharing arrangement by mid-March.

Speaking to reporters during his visit to Bokajan in Karbi Anglong, Sarma said discussions between the BJP and its alliance partners are in advanced stages and that a formal announcement will be made soon. “We are yet to decide the candidates. I think the names will be finalized by March 15-16. We are in talks with our allies. Everything is moving in the right direction. Before the election date is announced our alliance will become official,” he said, underlining that the NDA intends to project unity and clarity before the poll schedule is declared.

Taking a swipe at the proposed Opposition alliance, Sarma accused its leaders of lacking consistency and direction. “They make different comments in the morning, afternoon and night, so no proper conclusion can be drawn. The opposition leaders forget about what they said the previous day,” he said, in a sarcastic attack aimed at projecting the NDA as stable and decisive in contrast to what he described as a confused Opposition camp.

Responding to queries about Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi and his reported alignment with the Congress, Sarma dismissed the development as politically insignificant. “There are many persons with Akhil Gogoi. If you keep on trying to find out who is with Akhil Gogoi then who will work for the state and the nation? If he would have been my son or daughter, I would have looked after Akhil Gogoi,” Sarma said, in a remark that combined sarcasm with political criticism.

The Chief Minister also commented on the decision of the All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) to join hands with the Congress as part of a united Opposition front. Warning of political consequences in Karbi Anglong, Sarma claimed that the regional outfit had lost public support in the hill district. “Whoever decides to go with the APHLC will sink. People here do not like the APHLC. The way they do politics, the situation will become the same again, marred by violence and protests. So the people will not vote for the APHLC and reject its allies too,” he said.

Sarma’s statements underscore the BJP-led NDA’s attempt to frame the upcoming electoral battle as one between a cohesive, development-focused alliance and what it portrays as an unstable and opportunistic Opposition grouping. With mid-March set as the deadline for finalising seat-sharing and candidates, the coming weeks are expected to see intensified negotiations and sharper political exchanges across Assam.