Brisk voter turnout of 85.38 per cent (till 8 pm) was recorded by the Election Commission as polling ended on Thursday in all 126 Assembly constituencies in Assam, where the BJP-lead NDA is seeking a third term to retain dominance in the north-eastern States. But for Mizoram, the NDA rules 7 out of the 8 States in north east — Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
The turnout, which was 75.91 per cent till 3 pm, finally ended up at 84.42 per cent by 5 pm when polling ended, surpassing the previous 2021 elections voting percentage of 82.04, officials stated.
Assam, which has a history of high polling, saw Dalgaon recording the highest voting at 94.57 per cent, while the lowest turnout was in Amri at 70.40 per cent, they added. Top politicians and eminent personalities beelined polling booths since morning to cast their franchise. Looking for re-election from Jalukbari, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, along with his family, including his wife Rinki, voted at the Garal Buniyadi LP school in Kamrup (Metro) district.
Similarly, State Congress President Gaurav Gogoi cast his vote at DCB LP School in Jorhat. He was accompanied by his mother Dolly Gogoi. Other prominent politicians who voted were: Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia in Nazira; Union Minister Pabitra Margherita in Jorhat; AJP President Lurinjyoti Gogoi in Khowang; and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi in Sivasagar.
Overall, 722 candidates are trying out their luck in the single-phase election, with 31,490 polling stations across 35 districts utilised by voters to cast votes. The election is a direct contest between the BJP-led ruling coalition and the opposition bloc led by the Congress, though the Chief Minister claimed that the ruling alliance will comfortably make it to power again.
Hindutva agenda
The BJP has reached out to the voters on its Hindutva agenda, promising a Uniform Civil Code in Assam, on the lines of other right-wing ruled States, and strict enforcement of laws to check land jihad and love jihad, and the pushback of illegal immigrants to their respective countries. The promise for a decade of change in the State revolves around offering measures for upliftment of the underprivileged class through free education from KG to PG, and a gradual increase in Orunodoi assistance to ₹3,000 with wider coverage.
On the other hand, Congress and its allies have pitched for institutional reform and targeted welfare, which includes Scheduled Tribe status for six communities, an commission to investigate alleged scams of the NDA rule, and a white paper on State finances. The party’s five guarantees promise ₹50,000 for women to help them start small businesses and land rights for 10 lakh indigenous people.
Published on April 9, 2026