Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry kickstart the 2026 election cycle this morning
Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry kickstarted the 2026 election cycle this morning. The BJP is bidding for an Assam hat-trick, while Kerala's Left front wants a fifth straight term. N Rangaswamy's AINRC is plotting a fourth win in five Puducherry polls.
Here are the top 10 points in this big story:
- The headline state in this round is Assam. A high-voltage campaign concluded Tuesday after the BJP and Congress traded allegations and denials amid a flood of promises. The BJP promised implementation of the UCC, two lakh jobs, ejection of illegal migrants, Rs 5 lakh crore to boost connectivity, and two LPG cylinders, a nod to gas shortage reports amid the US war on Iran.
- Much of the campaign rhetoric centred on 'jati-mati-bheti', i.e., the BJP's assertion it will protect Assamese land and culture against infiltration by 'miyas', a derogatory term for Muslims of Bangladeshi origin and whom the ruling party has branded 'illegal immigrants'. The Congress responded by accusing Sarma and the BJP of propagating a 'politics of hate' and also targeted him directly, alleging his wife holds multiple passports and owns properties abroad, and demanding a probe into his family's finances.
- The death of singer Zubeen Garg could also be a factor in how votes are cast in this election. The 52-year-old died scuba diving off the coast of Singapore in September 2025. Local authorities confirmed it was an accident but Assam Police said he had been 'murdered'. The BJP and Congress exchanged jabs; the latter has said it will deliver 'justice' in 100 days if elected.
- This election will also be the first since delimitation in the northeastern state in 2023, a controversial exercise given it has led to re-drawing of constituencies in areas where Muslim community votes were influential, shrinking these from 32 of the state's 126 seats to 22.
- The BJP will contest 90 seats, Asom Gana Parishad 26, and Bodoland People's Front 11. The Congress has opted for Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi to lead its campaign and will contest 99 seats, leaving 13 for the Raijor Dal, 10 for the Assam Jatiya Parishad and six for smaller parties.
- Kerala, meanwhile, closed the campaign window Tuesday evening with dramatic last-minute appeals from candidates across party lines; local media said some leaders rode on cranes and organised street performances - with the red (for the ruling Left), the tricolour (representing the Congress), and saffron (the BJP) all in evidence as undecided voters were courted.
- The election for the 140-member Assembly is shaping up as a three-way battle with the BJP - which normally struggles for traction in the southern state - expected to do better than usual, particularly after a strong showing in December local body polls that saw it win the Thiruvananthapuram Mayor post.
- Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's Left coalition has played the continuity card, foregrounding its 10-year governance record, highlighting infrastructure development and welfare schemes, and its crisis management capabilities. The Congress-led UDF coalition, however, has accused the Left front of widespread corruption and has been boosted by big wins in the December polls.
- For the BJP-led alliance, this a critical moment in efforts to expand into the two southernmost states - Kerala and Tamil Nadu, neither of which has given it a second look in the past. The BJP has improved its Kerala vote share over past few elections but has never won an Assembly seat.
- In Puducherry, the contest is between Rangaswamy's NR Congress, which is allied with the BJP and Tamil Nadu's AIADMK, and is up against the Congress-DMK alliance for 30-member Assembly. Actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam TVK will make its electoral debut, though its main focus is the Tamil Nadu poll.
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