Assam Assembly Elections 2026: High Voter Turnout and Exit Polls Point to BJP Lead

Assam voted across all 126 constituencies on April 9, recording a turnout of over 85%, one of the highest in recent years. The higher participation was seen in both rural and urban areas, indicating widespread voter turnout across the state. The BJP, led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, is seeking a third consecutive term. The Congress is attempting to regain ground under Gaurav Gogoi, son of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi and deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

The contest is between the National Democratic Alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and a divided opposition, with the campaign marked by intensified political exchanges. Exit polls released on Wednesday evening for the contest indicate a clear majority for the incumbent government led by Sarma, with most pollsters projecting a third consecutive term for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the tea-producing state. Beyond the main contest, several constituencies are expected to see closely fought races shaped by legacy factors and narrow margins.

Key battlegrounds to watch out for:

1) Jalukbari: Jalukbari, represented by Himanta Biswa Sarma, is Assembly Constituency No. 51 in Assam’s Kamrup Metropolitan district and falls under the Gauhati Lok Sabha constituency. In the 2021 Assembly elections, Sarma of the BJP won the seat with 130,762 votes, securing a 73.52% vote share.

2) Jorhat: Jorhat is a general category constituency represented by Congress's Gaurav Gogoi. In the 2021 Assam Assembly elections, Hitendra Nath Goswami of the BJP won the seat with 68,321 votes, defeating Rana Goswami of the Congress by a margin of 6,488 votes.

3) Nazira: Debabrata Saikia, leader of the opposition in Assam, is set to contest once again from Nazira Assembly constituency in Sivasagar district. In the 2021 Assam Assembly elections, Congress's Debabrata Saikia won the seat with 52,387 votes, narrowly defeating Mayur Borgohain of the BJP.

4) Barchalla: Ripun Bora, former Rajya Sabha MP and ex-state Congress president, is back in the electoral contest from Barchalla Assembly constituency. Ganesh Kumar Limbu of the BJP has represented the seat since 2016.

5) Golaghat: Following the final delimitation exercise notified in August 2023, the constituency has been placed under the newly formed Kaziranga Lok Sabha constituency. In 2021, Ajanta Neog of the BJP won the seat with 81,651 votes.

6) Dispur: Dispur Assembly constituency (No. 52) is a general category seat in Assam’s Kamrup Metropolitan district. For the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, Pradyut Bordoloi is contesting as the candidate of BJP after resigning from Congress.

7) Sivasagar: Sivasagar Assembly constituency, represented by Akhil Gogoi, is a general category seat. In the 2021 Assam Assembly elections, Independent candidate Akhil Gogoi won the seat with 57,219 votes.

8) Rupahihat: Following the 2023 delimitation exercise, the constituency continues to be part of the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency. For the upcoming polls, Aminul Islam is contesting from Rupahihat.

9) Bokakhat: Following the delimitation exercise, it now falls under the Kaziranga Lok Sabha constituency. In 2021, Atul Bora of the Asom Gana Parishad won the seat with 72,930 votes.

10) Kaliabor: Following the 2023 delimitation exercise, it has been placed under the Kaziranga Lok Sabha constituency. In 2021, Keshab Mahanta of the Asom Gana Parishad won the seat with 73,677 votes.