Assam Assembly Elections: Key Seats to Watch as Vote Counting Begins

The battle for Assam will enter its final stage with the counting of votes on Monday, determining whether the BJP-led NDA gets a third term or the Congress wrests power after weeks of wrangling marked by identity politics, welfare delivery and regional aspirations.

EVMs, holding the electoral fates of 722 hopefuls from 126 assembly constituencies of the state, will be opened at 40 counting centres across all 35 districts amid tight security arrangements. Among the contestants, 59 are women.

Counting in Nagaon district will be held in three separate centres, while in Kokrajhar, Tinsukia and Jorhat it will be held at two centres each.

Among the 722 candidates, Congress has the highest 99, followed by BJP with 90, AIUDF with 30, NDA allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) with 26 and Bodo Peoples' Front (BPF) with 11 nominees.

In the opposition alliance, Raijor Dal contested in 13 seats, Assam Jatiya Parishad in 10, CPI(M) in three, and All Party Hill Leaders Conference in two. The Aam Aadmi Party and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) each contested in 18 seats, the TMC in 22, the JMM in 16. Besides, there are 258 Independent candidates.

Among the high-profile candidates whose electoral fate will be decided on Monday are Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Congress' state unit chief Gaurav Gogoi, assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary, Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal, Raijor Dal Chief and MP Akhil Gogoi, and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi.

Several cabinet ministers, including the AGP's Atul Bora and Keshav Mahanta, and the BPF's Charan Boro, are also in the fray.

The ruling BJP-led NDA's main constituents are the Asom Gana Parishad and the Bodo Peoples' Front, while the opposition alliance comprises the Congress, Raijor Dal, AJP, CPI(M), All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC) and CPI(ML).

The ruling BJP's strength in the outgoing assembly is 64, while its allies -- the AGP has nine, the UPPL seven and the BPF, which rejoined the alliance, has three MLAs. In the opposition camp, the Congress has 26 members, the AIUDF has 15, the CPI(M) has one, and there is also an Independent legislator.

Jalukbari, represented by Himanta Biswa Sarma, is one of Assam's most high-profile constituencies in Kamrup Metropolitan district under the Gauhati Lok Sabha seat. Covering parts of Guwahati, it is known for its strong connectivity and educational hubs. In 2021, Sarma secured a decisive win with over 73% vote share, defeating Congress's Romen Chandra Borthakur by a massive margin, underlining the BJP's dominance here.

Jorhat remains a closely contested constituency with Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi as a prominent face linked to the seat. In 2021, BJP's Hitendra Nath Goswami retained the constituency, narrowly defeating Congress's Rana Goswami. The relatively small victory margin keeps Jorhat firmly in the battleground category.

Nazira in Sivasagar district continues to be a Congress stronghold, represented by Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia. The seat carries legacy significance, having been held by his parents, including former chief minister Hiteswar Saikia. In 2021, Saikia scraped through with a razor-thin margin, making this a key contest once again.

Barchalla in Sonitpur district is witnessing a significant contest with Ripun Bora returning to the fray. The BJP's Ganesh Kumar Limbu, who has held the seat since 2016, secured a comfortable win in 2021, but Bora's entry adds a fresh layer of competition.

Golaghat, now part of the Kaziranga Lok Sabha constituency post-delimitation, remains an important BJP seat. Ajanta Neog won here in 2021 with a solid margin, though Congress continues to remain competitive.

Dispur, located in the heart of Assam's capital region, is a politically significant urban constituency. The entry of Pradyut Bordoloi into the BJP camp after leaving Congress adds intrigue to the contest. The seat has been a BJP stronghold, with Atul Bora winning convincingly in both 2016 and 2021.

Sivasagar stands out for its unique political dynamics, represented by independent leader Akhil Gogoi. His victory in 2021 over BJP's Surabhi Rajkonwari highlighted the constituency's independent streak, making it one of the most closely watched seats again.

Rupahihat in Nagaon district has seen decisive outcomes in recent elections. Congress candidate Nurul Huda secured a massive win in 2021, but with AIUDF leader Aminul Islam contesting again, the seat gains renewed political significance.

Bokakhat, now under the Kaziranga parliamentary seat, remains a stronghold of the Asom Gana Parishad. Atul Bora won comfortably in 2021, though shifting political alignments could influence the contest this time.

Kaliabor, reshaped by the 2023 delimitation, is another key seat to watch. AGP's Keshab Mahanta secured a convincing victory in 2021, but Congress continues to pose a challenge, ensuring a competitive race.