Assam election 2026: BJP releases list of candidates; CM Himanta Sarma to contest from Jalukbari | India News

Under the new seat-sharing arrangement, the BJP will contest 89 seats, the AGP 26 and the BPF 11 in the 126-member assembly. Among the prominent candidates, Pradyut Bordoloi, who quit as a Congress Lok Sabha MP a few days ago to join the BJP, has contested from Dispur Assembly constituency.Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimari will contest from the Tamulpur (ST) seat, while Bhupen Borah, another leader who switched from the Congress to the BJP, has been nominated from Bihpuria. Borah also served as Congress Assam chief. The list contains several key names and signals continuity and change, with the party dropping 11 sitting MLAs and fielding only five women candidates.The announcement came after the Election Commission announced the election schedule last week. Voting for the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held in a single phase on April 9, with counting on May 4.The BJP is seeking to retain power in the state, with Sarma aiming for another term as chief minister. In the 2021 elections, the National Democratic Alliance comprising the BJP, the Assam Gana Parishad and the United People’s Party Liberals won 75 seats, while the BJP won 60.Aiming to unite the NDA ahead of the polls, the BJP on Tuesday brought the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) back into its fold after five years and confirmed seat-sharing with the AGP, even as its current partner in government, the Bodoland-based United People’s Party Liberals (UPPL), quit the NDA citing ideological differences. The opposition Congress has already announced candidates for 65 seats as part of its alliance strategy, with state chief and Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi leading the campaign.