NDA wins majority in Assam; Himanta Biswa Sarma set to return as Chief Minister
While the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) celebrates a historic breakthrough in West Bengal, it has simultaneously cemented its "fortress in the Northeast." On Monday, Himanta Biswa Sarma secured his second consecutive term as Chief Minister of Assam, riding a wave of support for his "security and growth" agenda.
- May 04, 2026,
- Updated May 04, 2026, 7:41 PM IST
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has solidified its dominance in Assam, securing a second term for Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma amid a clear majority for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Election Commission of India data shows the NDA leading or winning 102 seats in the 126-member assembly, with the BJP ahead in 52 and victorious in 30. Allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) account for 20 leads.
Sarma clinched Jalukbari with 112,186 votes, trouncing his Congress rival by over 80,000. The BJP's vote share climbed to 38.59% from 33.6% in 2016, driven by strong Hindu consolidation. Muslim votes split between Congress (29.26% share, down slightly from 30% in 2021) and AIUDF (5.29%, halved from 9.4% due to delimitation), with 18 of Congress's 19 leads held by Muslim candidates.
A key upset saw Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi lose Jorhat to BJP's Hitendra Nath Goswami by 23,182 votes—Goswami polled 69,439 against Gogoi's 46,257. This defeat signals the waning influence of the Gogoi family in upper Assam.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal hailed the outcome as a "historic mandate," crediting voters' support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sarma. "We are sincerely grateful to the people of Assam because of their sympathy, support, and blessing.
This is a great recognition of the credible service rendered by PM Modi and CM Himanta Biswa Sarma," he said. Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia echoed this: "This is a historic mandate...I thank them for the trust they have shown towards PM Modi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma."
The results cap a strong eastern sweep for BJP, mirroring gains in West Bengal, and reshape Assam politics into a bipolar BJP-Congress clash, marginalising outfits like AIUDF. Modi headed to BJP headquarters in New Delhi at 6 pm today.
