Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has made a significant claim ahead of the March-April assembly elections, stating that the ruling BJP and its allies could win 103 of the 126 assembly seats.
Guwahati: The political atmosphere in Assam is heating up as the assembly elections approach. Amidst this, the state's Chief Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Himanta Biswa Sarma, has made a major assertion. He stated that the BJP and its allied parties could secure 103 seats in the 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly in the upcoming elections. This statement comes at a time when discussions regarding electoral strategies, alliances, and seat-sharing are gaining momentum in the state.
Claim of 103 Seats for BJP-NDA
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated, while interacting with the media during an event in Dimoria, Kamrup Metropolitan district, that the prospects for the ruling BJP are ber than ever before. According to him, the party was initially expected to win around 90 seats, but this figure has increased to 103 following the delimitation exercise.
He said, "There is a b possibility of the BJP and its allies winning 103 seats this time. Earlier, this number was around 90, but it has increased by 13 to 15 seats after the delimitation."
Impact of Delimitation
It is noteworthy that the delimitation process in Assam was completed in 2023. During this process, the boundaries of Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies were redrawn, although the total number of seats remained unchanged. Chief Minister Sharma believes that the new delimitation has politically benefited the BJP and strengthened the party's position in many areas.
However, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also clarified that the BJP is not claiming victory in all seats. He said that the party may only fight a symbolic battle in around 22 seats and there is no guarantee of victory there. In his words, "Whether we win 100 percent of the seats, or remain limited to 90 or 80 percent, will be decided by the people. The final decision in a democracy rests with the voters."
Situation Regarding Alliances and Seat-Sharing Still Unclear
The Chief Minister also acknowledged that it would be premature to make any definitive predictions about the election at this stage. He said that the picture regarding seat-sharing and alliances in neither the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) nor the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) has become entirely clear. An estimate that surfaced on Saturday suggested the possibility of a 'hat-trick' – a consecutive third term in power – for the NDA. Reacting to this, Sharma said that the political situation will become clearer by February.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also took a swipe at Assam Congress President and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi during this time. He said in a sarcastic tone that the opposition leader keeps thinking about him all the time. He said, "Gaurav Gogoi comes from an elite class, from a royal family. I am happy that he is giving me so much importance. I never thought I would become so important."
