NEW DELHI: With the state of Assam set to go to assembly polls next year, political sparring between the BJP and Congress has intensified, with both sides staking claim to a clear win in the 2026 showdown.

‘If only Assamese people vote…’: Gogoi targets BJP

Speaking to reporters in Dhubri, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said the BJP is on its way to defeat in the next state elections. Gaurav alleged that the ruling party carried out the 2023 delimitation exercise in a way that “only benefited the BJP” and is now introducing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) as it fears losing seats.“BJP is heading for defeat in 2026 (Assam Assembly election) if only Assamese people vote; we urge people to stay alert so no voters from UP and Bihar can vote,” Gogoi said.The 2023 delimitation raised Scheduled Caste seats from eight to nine and Scheduled Tribe seats from 16 to 19, while keeping the total assembly seats unchanged at 126. As per reports analysts say the number of Muslim-dominated seats has reduced from 30 to 22 under the redrawn map, which will be used in the 2026 elections.

Gogoi should ‘go to Pakistan’ to contest: Himanta

Addressing a rally in Nalbari, Assam chief ministerHimanta Biswa Sarma escalated his attack on Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, saying the Congress leader would “hundred per cent lose” the upcoming state polls.“He (Gogoi) will hundred per cent lose the polls in Assam, and then he can contest the elections in Pakistan,” Sarma said, responding to Gogoi’s earlier comments on the political climate in the state further adding that, “Assam is Assam and we will make a clean sweep in the assembly elections.”Sarma also accused the Congress of “doing politics” over the death of singer Zubeen Garg to “protect the Miyas who have encroached acres of land across the state.”The chief minister has repeatedly targeted Gogoi in recent months, alleging links with Pakistan’s ISI and forming an SIT to probe the matter, though its findings have not yet been made public.Sarma further claimed that “the Congress is mainly concerned about ‘Miyas’, and the people of Assam will not vote for those who support them.”He also announced that the government will introduce the anti-polygamy bill in the upcoming assembly session. “We will present the anti-polygamy bill in the assembly in November,” Sarma stated.

The Election Commission on Monday ordered a Special Revision of the electoral rolls in Assam ahead of the 2026 elections. Earlier on Tuesday, Sarma, reiterating the need for updated rolls, said that the exercise would help identify and remove ineligible voters.He noted that the state’s National Register of Citizens (NRC) has not been notified “due to various legacy issues,” and that the Special Intensive Revision has therefore been deferred.However, with the Election Commission now ordering a Special Revision, Sarma said the process “will help us weed out the illegal (voters) from our electoral process.”.According to EC guidelines issued to the state’s chief electoral officer, January 1, 2026, has been set as the qualifying date for the Special Revision. Officials said the drive is positioned between the usual annual summary revision and a full Special Intensive Revision (SIR).Last month, the Election Commission had ordered SIR in 12 states and Union Territories, including four set to vote next year.