March 20, 2026, marked the start of nomination filing for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections scheduled for April 9. The day saw high political activity across the state, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma leading from the front. He filed his nomination from Jalukbari at the Kamrup (Metro) DC office in Hengrabari, Guwahati, after a large rally of supporters. Sarma, who has been winning this seat since 2001 is aiming for his sixth consecutive term. Speaking to the media, he said the BJP is fully prepared and confident of forming the government again with a strong majority.
In the seat-sharing arrangement of the NDA alliance, the BJP will contest 89 out of 126 seats, while its allies AGP and BPF will contest 26 and 11 seats respectively.
However, the day was not without controversy. The biggest political drama took place in Dispur, one of the most important constituencies in Assam. The BJP has fielded Pradyut Bordoloi, the Nagaon Lok Sabha MP, who recently left the Congress and joined the BJP. This decision did not go down well with sitting BJP MLA Atul Bora, a four-time winner from the seat, who was denied a ticket. Bora openly called the move a “betrayal” and even met Congress candidate Mira Borthakur Goswami, reportedly extending his support to her. BJP vice-president Jayanta Kumar Das also expressed dissatisfaction. Sources say Bora is now considering contesting as an independent or supporting the Congress making Dispur one of the most closely watched seats.
The dissatisfaction within BJP is not limited to Dispur. In its first list of 88 candidates, the party dropped around 18 sitting MLAs in a bid to counter anti-incumbency. Some prominent names include Deputy Speaker Numal Momin from Bokajan and Cabinet Minister Nandita Garlosa from Haflong. Leaders like Siddhartha Bhattacharyya were also left out. The party has instead given tickets to new faces and leaders who recently joined from Congress, including Pradyut Bordoloi and Bhupen Borah. This has upset several party workers and leaders, raising concerns of internal rebellion.
On the other hand, the opposition is working to stay united. The Congress released its third list of 22 candidates on March 19, taking its total to 87 candidates so far. Around 15 seats have been left for alliance partners. In a key development, Congress and Raijor Dal signed an agreement in Jorhat late on March 19. As per the deal, Akhil Gogoi’s Raijor Dal will contest 11 seats, including Sivasagar, while friendly contests may take place in two more seats. Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi and Akhil Gogoi called the alliance “historic” and aimed at defeating the BJP.
The wider opposition alliance also includes AJP with 10 seats, CPI(M) and APHLC with 2 seats each, and CPI(ML). Together, they have announced candidates for more than 102 seats, though a few seats are still under discussion.
Meanwhile, NDA allies have also completed their preparations. BPF released its full list of 11 candidates, including Sewli Mohilary from Kokrajhar. AGP had earlier announced its 26 candidates.
Among other important candidates who filed nominations today were Congress Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia from Nazira and senior leader Ripun Bora from Barchalla.
With the last date for filing nominations set for March 23, political activity is expected to intensify in the coming days. As the election approaches, the BJP is banking on development and new faces, while the opposition is relying on unity and anti-incumbency. The situation in Dispur and the new alliances could play a key role in shaping the final outcome.
