The Bharatiya Janata Party intends to announce its candidates for the Assam Assembly polls in the first or second week of February, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday. The party is also working to complete seat-sharing arrangements with its National Democratic Alliance partners by 15 January.
Assam assembly candidate list and timeline
Sarma told reporters in Barpeta that the ruling coalition will aim to secure a stronger mandate when elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly are held, likely in March–April 2026. “We will seek public support to return to power and aim to improve our performance compared with the previous election,” he said.
The BJP currently leads the NDA in the Assembly with 64 MLAs. Its principal ally in the state, the Asom Gana Parishad, holds nine seats, while the United People’s Party Liberal has seven and the Bodoland People’s Front three. Other NDA constituents include the Rabha Hasong Joutha Sangram Samiti and Janashakti Party.
On the opposition benches, the Congress has 26 MLAs, the All India United Democratic Front holds 15, the CPI(M) one, and there is one Independent member.
Seat-sharing dynamics in Bodoland
Sarma highlighted that political arrangements in the Bodoland Territorial Region differ from those in Dispur. The BJP maintains working relations with both the UPPL and the BPF, he said, but those parties operate independently within the BTR. Decisions on final seat allocations will follow further discussions between the partners.
State leaders are assessing the possibility of the BJP contesting five to six of the 15 Assembly seats in the BTR, Sarma added. The final figure will depend on organisational strength on the ground and the outcome of alliance negotiations.
What the schedule means for parties
The January 15 deadline for seat-sharing talks gives alliance partners a narrow window to reach consensus ahead of the candidate announcement. For the BJP, early declaration of candidates is aimed at providing local units with time to prepare campaigns and to iron out constituency-level issues well before the model code of conduct comes into effect.
For regional partners, the negotiations will centre on winnability and local equations, particularly in areas such as the BTR where ethnic and regional considerations weigh heavily. Analysts say clear seat-sharing arrangements can reduce pre-election friction and present a united front to voters.
Next steps
Party officials expect candidate lists to be formally released in February once internal reviews and alliance talks conclude. Observers will watch the distribution of seats closely for signs of strategic targeting by the BJP-led alliance, and for how regional partners balance local priorities against broader coalition strategy.
With the election timetable now taking shape, political activity across the state is likely to intensify in the coming weeks as candidates prepare for a contest that will test the NDA’s ability to expand its footprint in Assam.
Key Takeaways:
- The BJP plans to release its Assam assembly candidate list in the first or second week of February.
- Seat-sharing talks with NDA partners, including the Asom Gana Parishad, are expected to be finalised by 15 January.
- State elections for the 126-seat Assembly are likely in March–April 2026, with the BJP-led coalition aiming to improve on its current tally.
- In the Bodoland Territorial Region the BJP may contest five to six seats depending on alliance negotiations.
