NDA Sets Goal of 100 Assam Assembly Seats; Himanta Accuses Rahul Gandhi and Madani of Issuing Threats

In preparation for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections scheduled for March-April next year, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has set an ambitious goal of winning 100 out of 126 assembly seats in the state. The announcement was made on August 29 at a major rally attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) chief Atul Bora. The gathering emphasised three key issues — development, anti-infiltration policies, and criticism of the Congress party.

Addressing panchayat representatives at the rally, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the need to safeguard Assam’s identity through the protection of “jati, mati, bhet” (community, land, and foundation). He vowed that the government would reclaim land encroached upon by outsiders, reiterating the NDA’s strong anti-encroachment stance. Sarma alleged that he had recently received threats from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Islamic scholar Madani. He warned that Assam is fully prepared to defend itself, drawing parallels to the state’s historical victory against invaders in the Battle of Saraighat.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also used the occasion to criticise the Congress, arguing that their decades-long tenure in Assam was characterised by neglect, terrorism, and social disturbances. He contrasted this with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, which he credited with bringing peace, stability, and development to the entire Northeast. Similarly, AGP president Atul Bora expressed concern about the growth of fundamentalist forces during the Congress era but praised the NDA government for restoring law and order. He pointed out that several peace accords had been signed with insurgent groups, further cementing stability in the region.

During his two-day visit, Union Home Minister Amit Shah officially launched the BJP’s election preparations for 2026. He sharply criticised Congress, accusing the party of shielding illegal infiltrators. Shah particularly attacked Rahul Gandhi’s “Ghuspetiya Bachao Yatra” in Bihar, describing it as an attempt to protect infiltrators. He urged Gandhi to apologise to both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the nation for such politics.

Shah highlighted several achievements of the Assam government, particularly the ongoing anti-encroachment drives. He noted that 1,29,548 acres of land had been freed from infiltrators, restoring the sanctity of Vaishnavite monasteries and other traditional sites. Linking these actions to historical precedents, he recalled the contributions of Golap Borbora, Assam’s first non-Congress Chief Minister. At Borbora’s birth centenary celebration, Shah praised his efforts to clean up the state’s voter lists, in which 36,780 illegal names were identified and removed. He described this as laying the foundation for the Assam Agitation, a defining political movement in the state’s history.

Reaffirming the BJP’s larger vision, Shah declared that both Assam and India would be made completely free of illegal foreigners. He cited Prime Minister Modi’s high-power demography mission as a crucial step toward studying demographic changes and identifying infiltrators.

Currently, the BJP holds 64 seats in the Assam Assembly, with its allies AGP and UPPL adding nine and seven respectively, making up 80 seats for the NDA. The opposition comprises Congress with 26 seats, AIUDF with 15, BPF with three, CPI(M) with one, and one Independent legislator.

As Shah concluded his two-day visit and left for Delhi, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed gratitude on X (formerly Twitter), describing Shah’s guidance over the past 24 hours as “energising and motivational,” and reaffirming the NDA’s determination to secure a historic win in the 2026 elections.