Himanta Biswa Sarma has been a constant presence in the Jalukbari Assembly constituency for a quarter of a century, holding the seat without interruption since his first victory in 2001. This time, however, the Congress has introduced a new challenger, Bidisha Neog, who joined the party about a year ago.
Jalukbari is one of five Assembly constituencies in the Kamrup Metropolitan district of Assam. According to 2011 Census data for the district, Hindus make up about 85 per cent of the population, Muslims around 12 per cent, and Christians roughly 2 per cent. The remaining 2 per cent belong to other religions.
A five-time MLA, Sarma began his political journey in Jalukbari with the Congress, securing three consecutive victories in 2001, 2006 and 2011. In 2015, he made a high-profile switch to the BJP and has since retained the seat in 2016 and 2021.
As Assam prepares for the 2026 Assembly elections on 9 April, Sarma is seeking a sixth consecutive term. While voters in the constituency have strongly supported him in every previous election, the Congress is taking a risk by fielding Neog, a relatively new and lesser-known candidate. She is building her campaign through direct voter outreach and by focusing on emotional issues.
After being announced as the candidate for Jalukbari, Neog visited the cremation site of Assamese singer Zubeen Garg in Sonapur, who died in a scuba diving accident in Singapore in September 2025. Neog stated that her campaign will focus on the theme "Justice for Zubeen."
Neog has accused Sarma of previously suggesting that voters should wait for justice for the singer before supporting the BJP, claiming that the promise was never fulfilled.
Sarma's electoral record in the constituency shows a steady rise in support. In 2001, with the Congress, he won the seat with 46.8 per cent of the vote, beating the AGP's Bhrigu Kumar Phukan by 10,019 votes. His popularity has grown in every subsequent election.
In 2006, he secured 63.5 per cent of the vote, followed by 72.1 per cent in 2011 and 76.6 per cent in 2016. In 2021, he won again with 77.4 per cent of the vote, defeating the Congress candidate, Romen Chandra Borthakur, by a margin of more than 100,000 votes.
While the history and figures favour Sarma in what is often called his "fortress seat," observers are waiting to see if Neog can make inroads into this BJP stronghold. Assam goes to the polls on 9 April for 126 Assembly constituencies, with the counting of votes scheduled for 4 May.
