Assam CM to begin two-day Barak Valley visit ahead of 2026 elections

Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is set to begin a two-day visit to Barak Valley on Sunday afternoon, blending cultural homage with development commitments ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections.

The visit comes shortly after the BJP-led NDA’s significant victory in the May 2025 panchayat elections, securing 300 of 397 Zila Parishad seats. This tour aims to solidify support in a region crucial to the alliance’s electoral strategy.

Sarma’s visit will start at 2:30 PM with a darshan at the Kachakanti Temple in Udharbond, symbolizing spiritual unity. At 3:15 PM, he will unveil a statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Silchar, highlighting infrastructure development and regional cohesion.

The highlight of the day will be the inauguration of Barak Valley’s first Mangal Pandey statue at Sahid Mangal Pandey Chowk at 4:00 PM, a Rs 15 lakh bronze tribute expected to attract large crowds.

Later, Sarma will visit the residence of the late MP Kamalendu Bhattacharjee and attend a youth-focused event at the Silchar Tennis Club.

The evening will feature the release of a book on Vaishnavite philosophy and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay’s vision, reinforcing the BJP’s ideological stance.

Sarma will visit Patharkandi in Assam's Sribhumi district on September 1 to focus on flood relief and connectivity before returning to Guwahati.

In the 2021 Assam Assembly elections, the BJP won 60 of the 126 seats, forming a government with the NDA.

With Barak Valley’s 15 seats up for grabs, Sarma’s visit blends heritage and progress, potentially strengthening the NDA’s 2026 goal of securing 95 seats.

As the CM focuses on unity, it remains to be seen whether this visit will lead to lasting development or serve primarily as electoral momentum. The valley’s response may shape Assam’s political future.