With just two Assembly elections and a handful of bypolls and local contests, 2025 was a relatively quieter political year after the high-intensity battles of 2024, including the mega Lok Sabha showdown. The BJP-led NDA clinched the momentum in 2025 after victories in both Delhi and Bihar, while the opposition’s INDIA bloc struggled to regain ground, ending the year as a vulnerable political front staring at a bleak future.
The focus now shifts to 2026, which promises to be a busy year in politics. Assembly elections are due in Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Puducherry. As many as 75 Rajya Sabha seats are also expected to fall vacant next year, which will lead to a battle of dominance in the Upper House. The year will also witness several high-profile local elections, as well, including the highly anticipated BMC polls in Mumbai in January.
As political parties prepare for the high-voltage clashes in 2026, here's a look at what's in store next year:
Assembly polls: Elections will be held in four states and one Union Territory next year, across South and East India.
Assam: Assam is heading into a high-stakes election with the BJP-led NDA aiming to retain power amid a stiff challenge from the Congress-led opposition. The state has been in the national spotlight amid the ongoing SIR exercise and regular political sparring between Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress's Gaurav Gogoi. The death of iconic singer Zubeen Garg has also turned into an election issue amid charges that he was murdered. In 2021, the BJP-led NDA rode to power after winning 75 out of the 126 seats. The opposition, led by Congress, contested the election under the umbrella of "Mahajot". It managed to win just 29 seats.
Tamil Nadu & Puducherry: Elections in the southern heartland will be closely watched with the formidable DMK-Congress alliance looking to extend its term in power even as the opposition, led by AIADMK, is hoping to stitch together a viable front. BJP has again joined hands with AIADMK for the 2026 polls, with both parties kicking off seat-sharing talks. However, uncertainty remains over the inclusion of other potential allies like TTV Dhinakaran's AMMK, former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam’s camp and the newly floated TVK by actor Vijay. In Puducherry, the All India NR Congress-led NDA government formed in 2021 will face a challenge from the Secular Progressive Alliance (Congress, DMK, etc.) to retain power in the Union Territory.
Kerala: The ruling LDF, led by CPM, is hoping for a record third consecutive victory in the state but is staring at a stiff challenge from the opposition UDF, led by Congress. UDF made crucial inroads in the recent local body polls in Kerala, gaining crucial momentum heading into the state polls. The results signal a tough fight for the LDF, which is battling anti-incumbency, the shadow of the Sabarimala gold scandal and the shift in the Christian vote. The BJP is also hoping to upset the apple cart after two recent breakthroughs in the state: the Lok Sabha win in Thrissur in 2024 and capturing the Thiruvananthapuram corporation in December.
West Bengal: The highly-anticipated elections in West Bengal are expected to take place in April-May next year with a resurgent BJP looking to take the fight to the ruling TMC in its bid to topple the Mamata Banerjee government which has been in power since 2011. In 2021, the BJP made major gains in the state after improving its seat tally from just 3 to 77. The party is expected to come out all guns blazing since it has a serious shot at power with TMC battling factors like corruption allegations (teacher recruitment scam, Saradha scam, Mahua Moitra case), anger over crimes against women (RG Kar rape), and anti-incumbency. The SIR exercise is also expected to make waves in the state with Mamata warning BJP against "playing with fire" and threatening pan-India protests over EC's plans for nationwide voter roll revision. Though expected to be a two-way clash, the Congress and the Left are also hoping to make a mark in the upcoming elections after a dismal performance in 2021.
Rajya Sabha
Elections to around 75 Rajya Sabha seats — falling vacant in April, June and November — are also set to take place next year, with the potential to reshape the balance of power in the Upper House between the NDA and the INDIA bloc.
The vacancies will happen across key states, including Uttar Pradesh (10 seats), Bihar (5), Maharashtra (7), and others such as Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and several northeastern states, making it a nationally consequential set of polls that could influence legislative strategy throughout the year.
Several high-profile terms are due to end, including those of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sharad Pawar, HD Deve Gowda, Digvijaya Singh, and Union ministers such as Hardeep Singh Puri, BL Verma, Ravneet Singh Bittu and George Kurian. Uncertainty remains whether the parties will retain senior faces or bring in fresh ones. With the NDA currently ahead in numbers in the Rajya Sabha, the 2026 elections will be closely watched for early signals ahead of the next phase of national and state-level contests.
Local body polls
The year 2026 will kick off with the crucial local body polls in Maharashtra on January 15, including the BMC elections which are taking place after a gap of nearly 9 years. Elections will be held for 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra. BMC, the country’s richest civic body, is the largest body that every major party in Maharashtra is eyeing. Ahead of the polls, estranged cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray have joined hands after 19 years to galvanize the Marathi vote bank in Mumbai and put up a united front against the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance.
It will also be the first BMC polls since the Shiv Sena split in 2022 and may well be the final word on the legacy of Bal Thackeray, which is claimed by both his son Uddhav and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde. The Congress will contest the elections solo, breaking away from its MVA allies Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) due to the Thackerays' move to join hands.
Panchayat and municipal elections are also due in states such as Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala and Karnataka, among others, with parties eyeing local dominance across municipalities and rural bodies to boost organisational strength.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.
Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.
