- The 2016 Assam election ended Congress's 15-year rule, bringing BJP to power for the first time
- BJP won 60 seats and formed government with allies AGP and BPF, totaling 86 seats
- Congress secured only 26 seats despite alliance with UPPL, marking a significant defeat
The 2016 Assam assembly election was a turning point in the state's politics. Congress' 15-year rule came to an end, catapulting BJP to power for the first time in the northeastern state.
The BJP, led by Sarbananda Sonowal, won the election following a strong campaign focused on issues such as illegal immigration. The BJP won 60 of the 126 seats.
The majority mark is 64 in the 126-member assembly. The BJP had the support of its allies, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the Bodoland People's Front (BPF), to form the government, bringing an end to Congress rule.
The BJP contested 89 seats and won 60, with a vote share of about 29.5 per cent. The AGP won 14 seats, and the BPF won 12. Together, the BJP alliance won 86 out of 126 seats. Sarbananda Sonowal became the first BJP chief minister of Assam.
The BJP had only five seats in 2011, and the jump to 60 in 2016 showed how the party had grown popular in the state.
The Congress, which had been in power since 2001 under Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, had joined hands with the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), a rival of BPF in the Bodo areas. The party could manage only 26 seats in 2016.
CPM contested 19 seats in the 2016 Assam election but drew a blank after receiving only about 0.6 per cent of the total votes. Even in the Left bastions such as Sorbhog, Rangia, and Rangapara, the party did not perform well.
A similar situation played out in the 2021 Assam Assembly elections. The BJP once again won 60 seats. The party formed the government with its allies, and Himanta Biswa Sarma was appointed as the 15th Chief Minister of Assam.
Assam is now heading for the 2026 Assembly elections, with voting scheduled for April 9. The single-phase election will be closely watched as the BJP aims for its third successive term in the state.
