Assam polls: NDA seals seat-sharing deal; BJP to contest on 89 seats, AGP 26, BPF 11

The Election Commission of India has announced April 9 as the polling date for the state

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has finalised the seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming Assam Assembly polls.

The BJP is set to contest 89 seats in Assam, alongside the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) with 26 seats and the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) with 11, as per the pact.

The Election Commission of India has announced April 9 as the polling date for the state and May 4 for counting. Out of 126 assembly seats, at least 64 are required to secure a majority.

On Tuesday, BJP held a meeting of its Assam core group at union minister JP Nadda's residence in the national capital. Home minister Amit Shah, BJP chief Nitin Nabin, union minister Sarbanand Sonowal and party leaders Dilip Saikia and BL Santhosh were among those reportedly present.

What happened in the 2021 Assembly polls?

Assam went to polls in three phases in 2021, where the BJP and its allies emerged victorious in 75 of the 126 assembly seats. The BJP won 60 seats, followed by the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) with 9 and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) with 6.

The Congress-led grand alliance secured 50 seats, while Akhil Gogoi’s Raijor Dal won 1 seat.

This time, Assam will witness a fight between the incumbent BJP-led NDA government and Congress for the 126-seat assembly.

Assam Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi resigns

Meanwhile, just days ahead of the polls, Assam’s Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi on Tuesday resigned from Congress, in a big jolt to the party. Bordoloi sent his resignation letter to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.

In the one-line resignation letter addressed to Kharge, the MP said, “With an overwhelming sense of sadness today, I hereby tender my resignation from all posts, privileges and the primary membership of the Indian National Congress.”

This comes a month after former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the BJP, who served in the Congress for three decades.