Guwahati, April 13: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday expressed strong confidence in the BJP’s performance in the upcoming panchayat elections, declaring that the saffron party is not only poised for victory at the grassroots but is also fully prepared for the 2026 state assembly elections.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Sarma said the Congress has already been sidelined in many areas and won’t be able to make a political comeback in Assam before the next assembly polls.
“In many areas, BJP and NDA candidates have won uncontested. In some places, the Congress didn’t even field a candidate. You will get a clearer picture on the last day of withdrawal of nominations,” Sarma said.
He added that 10 to 12 Zila Parishad Member (ZPM) seats have already gone to NDA candidates without contest, signalling what he described as a collapse of opposition presence at the local level.
Sarma also addressed reports of alleged irregularities in nomination processes.
“Yes, there are allegations of fake certificates, even cases where certificates were managed from Telangana. But these are isolated. In many seats, BJP faces Independent candidates, not Congress,” he said.
Pointing to the internal discipline of the BJP, Sarma emphasized the party’s organizational unity in contrast to the fragmented opposition. “We gave tickets across the state—there were no slogans, no dharnas, no internal revolts. Whether it’s our alliance with AGP, Gana Shakti, or Rabha Hasong Joutha Mancha, there has been complete harmony in the distribution of seats,” the Chief Minister said.
He said the BJP’s internal strength and grassroots planning are signs of its readiness for 2026. “From the selection of our state president to district and block presidents, not a single voice of protest has emerged. That’s the level of discipline and readiness we have.”
The Chief Minister described the upcoming panchayat elections as a starting point for a broader political campaign leading to 2026 and beyond. “This is not a semi-final or final. We are preparing for every election—be it panchayat, BTC, Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council, or Mising Autonomous Council. We are ready for one after another.”
The BJP will officially launch its panchayat campaign from April 21, Sarma announced.
Taking a swipe at the Congress, Sarma said the party remains active only in limited areas and is internally fractured.
“Even in Ahmedabad, a Congress MP said there’s a BJP agent inside the Congress. In Assam, Congress is visible only in minority-dominated regions, not across the wider landscape,” he added.
