Assam BJP reviews counting day prep as exit polls favour Sarma's return
Synopsis
Hours before Assam's vote count begins, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma held a virtual BJP coordination meeting covering booth monitoring and post-result strategy. Exit polls project the BJP winning 80-plus seats in the 126-member Assembly — potentially its strongest mandate yet in the Northeast, and a major test of whether Sarma can outpace even the party's 2021 tally of 75 seats.
Key Takeaways
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma chaired a virtual BJP review meeting on Sunday , the eve of Assam vote counting.
Meeting covered booth-level monitoring, counting coordination and post-result organisational strategy.
Exit polls project BJP winning more than 80 seats in the 126-member Assam Assembly ; majority mark is 64 seats .
The BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term ; it won 75 seats in the 2021 elections .
Counting begins Monday morning with postal ballots first, followed by EVM votes per ECI guidelines.
Guwahati: On the eve of vote counting for the Assam Assembly elections, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday chaired a virtual meeting with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates, Members of Parliament, state office-bearers and district presidents to review counting-day preparedness. The session came hours before results are set to be declared on Monday morning for the 126-member Assam Assembly.
What the Meeting Covered
According to BJP sources, the online interaction focused on coordination, booth-level monitoring, counting arrangements and post-result organisational strategy. State BJP President Dilip Saikia was also present during the meeting.
Senior party leaders discussed district-wise updates and instructed local units to remain vigilant and maintain close communication with counting agents and election representatives. The emphasis on granular, ground-level coordination signals the party's intent to leave nothing to chance on a high-stakes counting day.
What Exit Polls Are Projecting
Several exit poll surveys have projected a decisive victory for the BJP in Assam, with most pollsters forecasting the ruling party crossing the majority mark of 64 seats comfortably. Estimates suggest the BJP could secure more than 80 seats on its own in the 126-member Assembly.
If the projections hold, it would mark another emphatic mandate for the BJP in the politically significant northeastern state and further consolidate the leadership position of Sarma, who took charge as Chief Minister after the 2021 Assembly polls. Notably, Assam was among the states where exit polls in 2021 came closest to the final outcome, with most surveys accurately predicting the BJP's return to office within a narrow margin of error.
The Political Stakes
The ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is seeking a third consecutive term in Assam. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the BJP-led NDA had retained power by winning 75 seats, while the Congress-led Opposition bloc secured 50 seats and one seat went to an Independent candidate.
This time, the Congress-led Opposition alliance has expressed confidence of mounting a strong challenge, though exit poll projections have broadly favoured the incumbent government. A win exceeding the 2021 tally would represent a significant escalation of the BJP's dominance in the Northeast.
Counting Day Arrangements
Counting of votes will begin on Monday morning under tight security arrangements across the state. As per Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines, postal ballots will be counted first, followed by Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) votes. All eyes are now on the final results to determine whether the ruling party can convert exit poll projections into another decisive mandate.
Point of View
But the scale — MPs, district presidents, counting agents all on one call — reflects a party that has professionalised its election machinery well beyond what the Opposition can currently match in Assam. Exit poll projections of 80-plus seats, if realised, would not just be a third term but a structural consolidation: the BJP edging closer to the kind of dominance that makes Assam a near-uncontested state for the foreseeable future. The real question is whether a stronger mandate emboldens Sarma to push more assertive governance choices — or whether a comfortable win breeds the complacency that has historically tripped incumbent state governments in their third term.
NationPress
1 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Assam Assembly election results be declared?
Counting of votes for the Assam Assembly elections begins on Monday morning, with results expected to be declared the same day. Postal ballots will be counted first, followed by EVM votes as per Election Commission of India guidelines.
What are exit polls predicting for the Assam election?
Most exit poll surveys project the BJP winning more than 80 seats in the 126-member Assam Assembly, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 64 seats. Similar exit polls in 2021 proved accurate, predicting the BJP's return to power within a narrow margin of error.
What did CM Himanta Biswa Sarma's pre-counting meeting cover?
The virtual meeting on Sunday covered booth-level monitoring, counting arrangements, district-wise coordination and post-result organisational strategy. BJP candidates, MPs, state office-bearers and district presidents participated, with State BJP President Dilip Saikia also present.
How did the BJP perform in the 2021 Assam Assembly elections?
The BJP-led NDA won 75 seats in the 2021 Assam Assembly elections, retaining power. The Congress-led Opposition secured 50 seats, while one seat went to an Independent candidate.
Who is the current Chief Minister of Assam?
Himanta Biswa Sarma is the current Chief Minister of Assam, having taken charge after the 2021 Assembly polls. He is seeking a second consecutive term as Chief Minister if the BJP-led NDA wins the current election.
