Alliance, seat sharing unclear, surveys premature: Assam CM

Guwahati: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday downplayed an Assam-based electoral survey projecting the BJP’s return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections, saying it was “too early” to draw conclusions as alliances, seat-sharing and candidates are yet to be finalised.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the MMUA seed fund distribution programme at Dimoria in Kamrup (Metro), Sarma said opinion polls at this stage do not reflect the actual political scenario.

“This is not the time for surveys. It is still not clear who will be in the NDA or the UPA, how many seats the AGP will contest, or how many seats the BJP will contest. Only by February will the picture become clear,” he said after distributing seed funds among about 24,000 beneficiaries.

The Chief Minister said neither seat allocation nor candidates for individual constituencies have been decided, adding that on-ground public response matters more than survey predictions.

“We should not get excited over surveys. What is important is public participation in programmes and the support we receive from people,” he said.

On the BJP’s prospects after constituency delimitation, Sarma said the party could contest up to 103 seats, an increase from earlier estimates.

“There is a possibility of winning in 103 constituencies. Earlier, it was around 90. After delimitation, 13 to 15 seats have been added. In the remaining 22 seats, the chances are lower. Ultimately, people will decide,” he said.

Responding to queries on new candidates, the Chief Minister indicated that the BJP is likely to field fresh faces, especially in constituencies that have been added or strengthened following delimitation.

“The number of probable constituencies for the BJP has increased, including areas like Dimoria in Guwahati. Naturally, new candidates will emerge from the party,” he said.

Sarma reiterated that clarity on alliances, seat-sharing and candidates would emerge only in the coming months and urged party workers to focus on grassroots outreach instead of pre-election projections.

The survey released on Saturday projected the BJP’s vote share at around 39 per cent, with the NDA likely to secure close to 90 seats in the 126-member Assam Assembly.

It estimated the Congress vote share at about 37 per cent, followed by AGP at 7 per cent, BPF at 5.5 per cent, UPPL at 1.2 per cent, AIUDF at 2.5 per cent, Raijor Dal at 0.9 per cent, AJP at 0.7 per cent, CPI(M) at 0.8 per cent, and others together at around 5 per cent.