After Assam, Keralam and Puducherry (union territory), the state legislative assembly elections are knocking at the doors of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal in the second half of April 2026. Meanwhile, millions of voters have shown an extraordinary commitment to electoral politics as they participated in the largely peaceful single-phase assembly polls on 9 April, recording a high voter turnout. Assam recorded 85.96% voter participation in 126 assembly seats, while Puducherry showcased over 90% voting in 30 constituencies, followed by Keralam (140 seats) with nearly 80% turnout.
Assam’s 2.50 crore electorates, including 1.25 crore female voters and 6.4 lakh first-timers, have sealed the fates of 722 candidates representing different political parties and independent contenders in the electronic voting machines, which were set up in 31,490 polling stations across 35 districts. Tamil Nadu now prepares for single-phase polling on 23 April and West Bengal has readied for voting in two phases on 23 and 29 April. The outcome of all polls, including the bye-elections held in Karnataka’s Bagalkot and Davanagere South seats, Nagaland’s Koridang and Tripura’s Dharmanagar constituency, will be available on 4 May.
According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), a large number of assembly constituencies in Assam, namely Parbatjhora, Golakganj, Gauripur, Dhubri, Birsing Jarua, Bilasipara, Mankachar, Jaleshwar, Goalpara West, Goalpara East, Abhayapuri, Srijangram, Bongaigaon, Mandia, Chenga, Pakabetbari, Chamaria, Barkhetri, Nalbari, Dalgaon, Laharighat, Dhing, Rupahihat and Samaguri, recorded over 90% polling.
However, the urban localities under Kamrup and Kamrup (Metropolitan) districts reported a slightly lower turnout of around 80% in Dimoria, Dispur, Guwahati Central, Jalukbari and New Guwahati seats. Earlier, Assam witnessed a significant voter response in 2016 (84.72%), which defeated the Congress government in Dispur and paved the way for a newfound alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
With high voter participation, political observers in the region have put forward two completely opposite predictions, with one group favouring the return of the BJP-led government and the other weighing in for the Indian National Congress (INC)-led opposition alliance.
A sizable population of Assam openly supported the saffron alliance, citing reasons of an improved safety-security scenario, sustainable development and impartial welfare initiatives for the entire population. An aggressive campaign by incumbent Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, further bolstered by the subsequent presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah along with other senior BJP leaders at election rallies, is projected to have encouraged more voters to reach the polling booths.
Also read | Crude Bombs, MCC Violations and 83.52% Turnout — Tripura Delivers Its Verdict at ADC Polls 2026
Pertinent issues including anti-influx measures, implementation of a number of peace accords, wide-ranging development and public welfare initiatives may have attracted the attention of the indigenous population as well. The Assam government’s flagship direct benefit transfer scheme Orunodoi offers a monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,250, deposited in the bank accounts of eligible women, and the scheme today covers nearly 40 lakh beneficiaries across the state.
Just a few days before the poll schedule was announced, the government transferred Rs 9,000 to each Orunodoi beneficiary, comprising four months of monthly deposits along with a Bohag/Rongali Bihu gift in cash.
A large group of analysts argue that the larger participation of voters indicated confidence in the ruling government, and they term it a pro-incumbency wave. They also pointed out that mainstream Assamese voters usually show reluctance in participating in any electoral process, compared to the Bangladesh/East Pakistan-origin Muslim population living in Assam since the days of independence, but that this time they came together to elect their representatives keeping an eye on the future of the next generation.
A special review of the voters list prior to the polls, which removed the names of non-existent voters due to death or girls marrying outside the constituency, along with increased awareness among common electorates, also contributed visibly to enhancing the voter turnout. Women voters, many of whom remain beneficiaries of various government-sponsored welfare schemes over the last few years, exceeded their male counterparts.
Records indicate that Assam’s women voters were lagging behind male electorates in the 2011 assembly polls, whereas they reached an equal share in 2016, and in the last two elections of 2021 and 2026, female voters slightly surpassed the male contributions.
The other group has tried to establish the scenario in favour of the opposition parties, citing reasons of a decade-long anti-incumbency, continued atrocities against religious minority voters, and personal corruption and mismanagement of government funds by CM Sarma and his family.
“The unprecedented voter turnout is in favour of change,” said Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi. The Deputy Leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha also came out vocal against Sarma, soon after his party senior Pawan Khera made sensational public allegations against Sarma’s family.
Just three days before the polling date, Khera organised a press conference in New Delhi, and later in Guwahati as well, claiming that “the CM’s wife Riniki Bhuyan possesses multiple passports and unaccounted assets in foreign lands.” The press conference invited court notices to Khera and later compelled him to approach the Telangana High Court for temporary relief.
“Since Khera’s press conference, Sarma has appeared panicked and has been making abusive public statements as well as intimidating remarks against some media personnel,” Gogoi said.
Also read | Assam Votes Amid Violence, Evm Row; Records Over 85% Turnout
Gogoi was seconded by political leaders belonging to the Congress-led alliance, including Asom Jatiya Parishad, Raijor Dal and others. However, the All India United Democratic Front, once a trusted ally of the Congress, went to the polls solo in this election.
BJP Assam president Dilip Saikia expressed confidence that the saffron party-led National Democratic Alliance would do better this time. “The NDA will easily cross 75 this year,” Saikia said, terming the exceptional voter turnout in a peaceful ambience as pro-BJP. Asom Gana Parishad president Atul Bora also backed the confidence, saying “the NDA will win over 90 seats,” with his party fielding candidates in 26 constituencies, Bodoland People’s Front nominees fighting in 11 and the BJP contesting in 89 constituencies.
The Jorhat constituency attracted media attention as sitting BJP legislator Hitendra Nath Goswami and his competitor, Congress parliamentarian Gogoi, showed restrained campaigning with no personal attacks. CM Sarma, however, criticised the Congress for raising the issue of Zubeen Garg’s mysterious death in Singapore last year for political campaign purposes. The Congress manifesto had promised “to facilitate justice for Zubeen within 100 days” if voted to power.
Zubeen’s widow Garima Saikia Garg and close relatives had earlier appealed to all political parties “not to politicise his untimely death for electoral gains.” While casting her vote in Guwahati, Garima repeated her call, expressing confidence in the trials currently going on in a local court.
(Nava Thakuria is a senior Indian journalist who contributes to various media outlets including print and digital platforms of India and across the world.)