The Indian National Congress has released its second list of 23 candidates for the upcoming 2026 Assam Legislative Assembly election as it intensifies preparations for the crucial state polls.
With this announcement, the party has taken another major step in finalising its electoral lineup ahead of the elections scheduled for March–April 2026. The state assembly has 126 seats, and political parties are now accelerating their campaign strategies.
The new list includes several senior leaders and experienced politicians expected to contest key constituencies across Assam.
15 Seats Left for Alliance Partners
In a strategic move, the Congress has left 15 constituencies for its alliance partners as part of the opposition coalition’s seat-sharing arrangement.
The party is leading a broader opposition alliance aimed at challenging the ruling BJP-led government in the state. The alliance includes parties such as the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation and the Assam Jatiya Parishad.
This seat-sharing strategy is aimed at preventing a split in opposition votes and strengthening the alliance’s chances in the upcoming election.
Prominent Leaders in the Candidate List
The newly released list features several notable leaders, including:
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Abdul Khaleque
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Rakibuddin Ahmed
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Bipul Gogoi
These leaders are expected to contest from key constituencies and play an important role in the party’s campaign.
The selection of candidates reflects the party’s attempt to balance experience, regional representation, and electoral strength.
Political Battle Intensifies in Assam
The upcoming election is expected to witness a fierce contest between the opposition alliance led by Congress and the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government headed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
In the 2021 Assam Assembly election, the BJP-led alliance retained power with a comfortable majority, while Congress emerged as the main opposition. The 2026 election is therefore seen as a critical political battle for both sides.
Political analysts believe the opposition alliance’s seat-sharing strategy could significantly influence the electoral dynamics in several constituencies.