Assam Elections: BJP Allocates 89 Seats, Allies to Contest 37
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Key Takeaways
New Delhi, March 17 (NationPress) Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Tuesday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be contesting 89 Assembly seats in the upcoming elections. Its allies will include the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which will field candidates in 26 seats, and the Bodoland People's Front (BPF), which will contest 11 seats. This decision marks the conclusion of the ongoing negotiations regarding seat-sharing within the alliance.
After a meeting of the BJP's central election committee in the capital, Sarma emphasized that conversations about seat allocation are on track, and the alliance's strategy for the elections will soon be set. "The AGP will contest 26 seats, while 11 seats will be contested by the BPF. We are working on a coordinated approach to ensure a strong performance," he stated.
The Assam Assembly consists of 126 seats, with the BJP focusing on 89 of these. This announcement comes amid a surge in political activities as parties aim to finalize alliances and candidate selections ahead of the elections.
In the 2021 Assam Assembly elections, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a comfortable majority, winning 75 out of 126 seats. The BJP alone acquired 60 seats, establishing itself as the largest party, while its ally AGP achieved victories in nine seats.
Previously, during the 2021 elections, the BJP contested 92 seats, with 26 seats assigned to AGP and eight to the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL). The NDA's success in 2021 was historic, as it was the first non-Congress coalition to maintain power consecutively in Assam.
Seat-sharing is pivotal in Assam's electoral dynamics, especially in areas like Bodoland, where regional parties like the BPF possess significant sway. The BJP is actively engaged with its partners to refine its electoral strategy while also aiming to expand its presence across the Assembly's constituencies.
The Chief Minister also mentioned that the BJP will release its candidate list for the upcoming Assembly elections on Wednesday. The elections for the 126-member Assembly are scheduled for April 9, with vote counting set for May 4.