Guwahati (Assam): In a significant political development ahead of the upcoming Panchayat elections in Assam, BJP MP and Assam BJP President Dilip Saikia confirmed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) will contest the elections together.
A meeting between the two parties was held on Sunday at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan, Basistha, Guwahati, where party leaders strategized for the upcoming elections.
Speaking to media, Saikia emphasized the unity within the NDA and its roadmap for future elections, stating:
“Today, the leaders of AGP and BJP held a meeting under the leadership of CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. We are ready to contest the Panchayat elections together. We will contest the elections together for the service of the people… A senior leader will be given responsibility for this. Leaders from both parties will talk to workers at the district level and prepare a roadmap for the elections… We (BJP and AGP) are together in the 2026 legislative assembly elections, and not just us, the whole NDA is united, including UPPL and other parties. We are preparing for ‘Panchayat se Parliament tak’.”
Panchayat Elections a “Semi-Final” for Assembly Polls
Echoing similar sentiments, Assam Minister and AGP President Atul Bora confirmed that both parties will contest both the Panchayat and Assembly elections together, viewing the Panchayat elections as a “semi-final” before the 2026 Vidhan Sabha elections.
“We will contest the election together, regarding that we had a discussion in BJP office… We will contest the Vidhan Sabha elections together too. Panchayat elections are just semi-finals for us… The amount of work that has been done after Himanta Biswa Sarma became CM was never done by any party.”
Panchayat Election Dates Expected in April
On March 25, Assam Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass confirmed that the Panchayat elections will be held in April, with dates to be announced by the Assam State Election Commission soon.
“Our government is ready to conduct the Panchayat polls in the state. The Assam State Election Commission will conduct the polls. We urge the Commission to announce the dates as soon as possible. If the Commission announces the dates on April 3, the election process will be completed by May 3. If announced on April 4, 5, or 6, the process will conclude by May 4, 5, or 6.”
New Rules and Amendments for the Panchayat Elections
Dass also revealed that there will be no political party-affiliated candidates at the Gram Panchayat level, with party-backed candidates only contesting at the Anchalik Panchayat and Zila Parishad levels.
Additionally, the “two-child norm” and educational qualification requirements for candidates will remain applicable in this election, as per the Assam Panchayat (Amendment) Bill, 2025, recently passed in the state assembly.
The new amendment bill also outlines regulations for Haats (local markets) within Panchayat jurisdictions, including revenue allocation and governance at the Gaon Panchayat, Anchalik Panchayat, and Zilla Parishad levels.
With both BJP and AGP strengthening their alliance, and the entire NDA gearing up for the 2026 Assembly elections, the upcoming Panchayat elections in Assam will serve as a key political battleground in shaping the state’s future leadership.