State
Assam CM Labels Congress as ‘Muslim Party’ Post Election
Guwahati – Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has remarked that the Congress party in Assam has now become a “completely” Muslim party. This statement follows the recent Lok Sabha elections, where the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) votes shifted significantly to the Congress.
Chief Minister Sarma noted that the shift in the Muslim vote share did not impact the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) negatively. “The BJP’s vote share has also increased. What we have found is that the AIUDF votes have shifted to the Congress,” he said during a press interaction on Thursday.
He highlighted that Muslims, who make up about 40% of Assam’s electorate, predominantly supported the Congress in this election. However, he expressed uncertainty about whether this support would continue in the 2026 Assembly elections or revert to the AIUDF.
The AIUDF, which contested three parliamentary constituencies—Dhubri, Nagaon, and Silchar—saw a significant setback in Dhubri. Its president, Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, lost to Congress candidate Rakibul Hussain by over 10.12 lakh votes. Ajmal had previously won the Dhubri seat three times consecutively since 2009.
Meanwhile, the BJP secured a good number of Muslim votes in the Karimganj seat, attributed to local factors and issues with Congress candidates. The BJP won nine out of the 11 seats it contested, with its allies Asom Gana Parishad and United People’s Party Liberal winning one seat each. The Congress secured three out of the 13 seats it contested, while its ally, Assam Jatiya Parishad, failed to win the Dibrugarh seat.
The NDA recorded a vote share of 46.3% compared to the 37.48% of the Congress-led INDIA bloc. Chief Minister Sarma noted that the NDA’s vote share in Assam increased by 10% from the 2019 elections, with improvements in 93 of Assam’s 126 Assembly segments.
Reflecting on the NDA’s losses in Manipur, Meghalaya, and Nagaland, Sarma attributed it to the influence of religious factors in those states’ politics. He acknowledged that in certain areas, people expressed their grievances through the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Despite these challenges, the NDA performed well in Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, and Sikkim, securing all seats in these states.
This analysis sheds light on the shifting political landscape in Assam and the broader northeastern region following the recent elections.
