Guwahati: With Panchayat elections in Assam scheduled for May 2 and 7, political activity is intensifying across the state, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken the lead in campaigning for the ruling BJP-led NDA, hitting the ground with back-to-back public meetings and social media outreach.
On Sunday, Sarma was scheduled to campaign in Tingkhang, Dibrugarh, after holding multiple rallies in the Barak Valley the previous day.
In a post on X, he urged supporters to join him at the public event, marking a continued push by the BJP to consolidate its rural base ahead of the polls.
Calling the upcoming Panchayat elections a “litmus test” ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, the chief minister said the polls will serve as a barometer of public sentiment.
He dismissed the opposition’s prospects, asserting that they pose “no serious challenge” to the ruling alliance.
Reinforcing that claim, Sarma revealed that the BJP-led NDA has already secured 325 seats unopposed—37 Zila Parishad (35 BJP, 2 AGP) and 288 Anchalik Panchayat seats (259 BJP, 29 AGP)—a feat he described as “unprecedented” in Assam’s political landscape.
“This is a historic mandate and reflects the immense trust the people of Assam have placed in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA,” he said.
However, the run-up to the elections has not been without controversy. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has accused the BJP of using intimidation tactics against opposition candidates.
ALSO READ: 10 militants arrested in Manipur valley during security crackdown
“The state administration has turned a blind eye to BJP-backed goons,” Gogoi alleged, adding that senior Congress leaders, including Bhupen Borah and Pradyut Bordoloi, have raised the matter with the police without result.
Despite the tensions, Gogoi vowed that Congress workers remain undeterred. “We are prepared to face the ruling party and will not be silenced by threats or fearmongering,” he said.
