The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released the first list of 88 candidates for the upcoming Assam assembly elections on 19 March. The saffron party has fielded Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from the Jalukbari seat.
The 126 seats of Assam Assembly are voting in single phase on 9 April. The results will be announced on 4 May.
The first list of candidates also includes Pradyut Bordoloi, who joined the party after quitting Congress. Bordoloi has been fielded from Assam’s Dispur assembly seat.
Bordoloi, Lok Sabha Member of Parliament from Nagaon, joined the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday, a day after resigning from the Congress.
What happened in 2021?
In the 2021 assembly election in Assam, the incumbent BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) retained power with 75 seats, which marked the first time a non-Congress alliance won consecutive terms in the state. The Mahajot led by Congress won 50 seats, increasing its tally from 26 in 2016. Himanta Biswa Sarma became the chief minister.
Opinion poll prediction for Assam
For Assam, a recent opinion poll has predicted an easy sweep for the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP. Of the 126 seats, the BJP is predicted to win 96-98, and the Congress may win 26-28.
