With the schedule for the Assam Assembly elections now announced, a range of key issues like eviction, infiltration, and development project is expected to dominate the campaign rhetoric of political parties in the run-up to the polls.The 126-member Assam Assembly currently has 64 legislators from the BJP. Among its allies, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has nine MLAs, the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) seven, and the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) three.
In the opposition ranks, the Congress has 26 MLAs, followed by the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) with 15. The CPI(M) and an Independent each have one member in the Assembly.Eviction: The state government’s policy of evicting alleged encroachers, many of whom belong to the Muslim community, is expected to emerge as a key campaign issue, with both the ruling alliance and the opposition likely to raise it during the election campaign.Another major point of contention is the government’s crackdown on child marriage, which has led to numerous arrests and cases being filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The ruling alliance is expected to project the measures as a significant step toward eliminating the social menace, while the opposition is likely to accuse the government of disproportionately targeting the Muslim community, as cited by PTI.The ruling alliance is also expected to highlight its efforts to reclaim forest land, satra and temple property, and other government land from alleged encroachment. The opposition, however, is likely to frame the drive as a humanitarian crisis, pointing to demolitions that have left many people homeless and forced to live on the streets, with some also losing their livelihoods.Infiltration: Illegal immigration is another long-standing issue in Assam that is likely to feature prominently in the election campaign. The matter has been central to state politics for decades and was a key factor behind the Assam Agitation and the subsequent signing of the Assam Accord, as cited by PTI.The BJP-led government maintains that it has taken steps to implement the provisions of the Accord. The opposition, however, is expected to highlight what it calls the government’s failure to fulfil promises of providing constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to protect and promote the cultural, social and linguistic identity of indigenous Assamese people.Two key aspects linked to the immigration debate, the updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), are also likely to feature prominently during the campaign. The ruling party is expected to argue that opposition to the CAA was misplaced, noting that only a limited number of Hindus from Bangladesh have applied for citizenship under the law.Development projects/welfare schemes: The state government is expected to highlight major development initiatives in Assam, particularly infrastructure projects in roads, railways, airports and waterways. It is also likely to showcase investments such as the Tata semiconductor unit and other agreements signed during the second edition of the ‘Advantage Assam’ business summit. The opposition, however, is expected to argue that development has been concentrated in select areas and has come at the cost of indigenous communities, alleging that their land has been acquired for such projects.The BJP and its allies are also likely to emphasise the state government’s welfare schemes for women, including the monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,250, support for women entrepreneurs and various health initiatives. With women making up nearly half of the electorate, the opposition is expected to counter by claiming that crimes against women have not declined and that the distribution of benefits has been uneven.The ruling alliance will also highlight its recruitment drive across government departments, which it says has resulted in the appointment of more than 1.6 lakh youths. In addition, it is likely to focus on welfare measures for tea garden workers, a sizeable voting bloc that traditionally supported the Congress but has largely shifted its allegiance to the BJP since 2016.Zubeen Garg’s death: Another issue that drew significant attention was the death of popular singer Zubeen Garg in Singapore in September 2025, followed by demands for justice in connection with his alleged murder. Opposition parties are expected to accuse the BJP-led government of lacking commitment to ensuring justice in the case. The ruling dispensation, however, is likely to point out that it constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), arrested the accused, and that the matter is currently before the court.
