Assam Assembly Poll Campaigns Conclude; Student Convocation and Election Updates

PTI, April 7, 2026, Guwahati: The high-voltage campaign for the 126-member Assam Assembly ended at 5 pm on Tuesday ahead of the April 9 elections, which will decide the fate of 722 candidates.

BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, attacked the opposition Congress, accusing it of encouraging infiltrators to settle in Assam to create a vote bank and failing to control insurgency or promote development and employment during its rule.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma targeted Bengali-speaking Muslims of immigrant origin, derogatorily called 'Miyas', claiming that during the last five years, "he has broken their arms and legs" and in the next five "he will break their backbones." The ruling party highlighted land ownership rights for tea garden workers, empowerment schemes for women, financial assistance for girl students, and a reduction of child marriage by 84 per cent.

BJP leaders also promised implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) to prevent polygamy and continued development. The opposition Congress and its allies accused BJP of practising the "politics of hate," indulging in corruption, lopsided development, and failing to provide justice to popular singer Zubeen Garg, who died in Singapore on September 19 last year.

The Congress said that if voted to power, it would provide justice for Garg, cash assistance to women, a health insurance scheme to people, land rights for indigenous people and others. The chief minister accused state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi and his wife of having links with Pakistan's spy agency ISI. 

On the other hand, the opposition party charged Sarma's wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma with owning multiple passports, properties in Dubai and assets in shell companies, which her husband did not mention in his poll affidavit. While Modi, Shah and other NDA leaders came to the state to canvass for the ruling coalition's candidates, Congress functionaries like its president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha leader Rahul Gandhi campaigned for the party-led grouping. 

The prominent candidates in fray are the chief minister, Congress's Gaurav Gogoi, AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal, assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia, senior ministers Ranoj Pegu, Chandramohan Patowary, Atul Bora, Keshav Mahanta, Ajanta Neog, Ashok Singhal, Raijor Dal's Chief Akhil Gogoi and AJP President Lurinjyoti Gogoi. 

The ruling NDA's main constituents are the BJP, Asom Gana Parishad and the Bodo Peoples' Front, while the opposition alliance comprises the Congress, Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad, CPI(M), All Party Hill Leaders Conference and the CPI(ML). Elections in the state will be conducted in a single phase this time, unlike earlier occasions, when voting was held in multiple phases. 

The Prime Minister came twice to the state to address five poll rallies and interacted with women tea garden workers. Prior to the announcement of election dates, he had come to the state four times since December to launch and inaugurate a series of projects. 

The BJP’s other star campaigner Amit Shah came thrice to address nine rallies and a road show in Guwahati, and had also come four times since December. 

BJP president Nitin Nabin, Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Rajnath Singh, Sarbananda Sonowal, J P Nadda and Pabitra Margherita, Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath and Odisha Mohan Majhi campaigned for party candidates while Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman released the party manifesto. 

Besides Congress' state president Gaurav Gogoi, the party's national leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, party MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and others canvassed for the nominees. 

Other prominent leaders to campaign in the state include AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi for the AIUDF, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his wife Kalpana Soren for JMM candidates. The prominent candidates in fray are the Chief Minister, Congress’s Gaurav Gogoi, AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal, assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia, senior ministers Ranoj Pegu, Chandramohan Patowary, Atul Bora, Keshav Mahanta, Ajanta Neog, Ashok Singhal, Raijor Dal’s Chief Akhil Gogoi and AJP President Lurinjyoti Gogoi.

Prominent candidates include Chief Minister Sarma, Congress’s Gaurav Gogoi, AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal, Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, leader of the opposition Debabrata Saikia, senior ministers Ranoj Pegu, Chandramohan Patowary, Atul Bora, Keshav Mahanta, Ajanta Neog, Ashok Singhal, Raijor Dal’s Chief Akhil Gogoi, and AJP President Lurinjyoti Gogoi.