Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday announced that the BJP and its alliance partners will contest 103 of the 126 assembly seats in the upcoming 2026 state elections. Speaking after the BJP’s state core committee meeting, Sarma expressed confidence that the ruling coalition will perform strongly, citing its development-focused agenda.

Sarma said the party expects to “comfortably win” the elections, referencing successful outcomes in states like Bihar, Maharashtra, Haryana, and Delhi as indicators of the BJP’s momentum. He clarified that while the party plans to contest 103 seats based on the state’s population distribution, it does not guarantee victories in all of them.

The Chief Minister noted that the recent delimitation exercise has increased the number of constituencies where the BJP can field candidates, creating more opportunities for youth and women. Earlier, the party had been limited to contesting a maximum of 90 seats.

On voter support, Sarma mentioned the party anticipates backing from Assamese Muslims but said it does not count on votes from the ‘Miya’ community, though any support from them would be welcome.

Preparations for the elections are underway, with the formation of 36 election sub-committees expected soon. Sarma added that the party faces no major political challenge and highlighted its inclusive support across communities as a factor in its growth.

He also outlined plans to address issues such as polygamy, ‘love and land jihad,’ and encroachments by Bengali-origin Muslims on government, forest, tribal belt, and sattra lands.

The core committee meeting was attended by senior BJP leaders, including national general secretary (Organisation) B L Santhosh, state party president Dilip Saikia, and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

This announcement reflects the BJP-led coalition’s strategy to strengthen its position in Assam ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.