Assam Panchayat Elections 2025: A Grand Opposition Circus and BJP's Walkover

The ongoing Panchayat elections in Assam, meant to be the grassroots celebration of democracy, have turned into a tragicomic spectacle — a circus of Opposition disunity where the main show has become their infighting rather than any united challenge to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

While the BJP marches ahead with near-clinical precision, the Opposition parties are busy clashing with each other, undermining any hope of forming a credible counterforce.

BJP's Bulldozer Momentum

With confidence oozing from every campaign rally and local strategy meeting, the BJP in Assam is cruising through the Panchayat elections with an astounding strike rate. 

Early estimates suggest the party is winning at a blistering 90–92% success rate, a figure that has made even senior BJP leaders privately wonder whether the Opposition even tried this time. 

The saffron party's preparation, bolstered by grassroots machinery, control of local resources, and a clear narrative of development, has helped it dominate both perception and performance.

Adding to their advantage is the massive support from an unlikely quarter — Muslim voters in many rural pockets, particularly in Lower Assam and parts of Central Assam, who have chosen pragmatism over protest. 

Contrary to assumptions, these voters are increasingly inclined towards the BJP, not out of ideological alignment, but due to a clear understanding: if development and infrastructure are to come, it will come through the party in power. Additionally, many Muslims do not want to be marked or isolated politically and are choosing the route of silent assertion — development over divisiveness.

Opposition’s Open War

If politics is about perception, the Assam Opposition has lost the game even before it began. Parties like the Congress, AIUDF, Raijor Dal, and Anchalik Gana Morcha, instead of forming a united front, have been busy tearing each other apart in public. Ticket distribution wars, accusations of sabotage, and instances of cross-candidate support have become regular headlines in local newspapers.

A notable case came from Barpeta district, where Congress and AIUDF ended up fielding rival candidates in several seats despite earlier seat-sharing talks. This wasn’t a one-off; in Jorhat, a clash between Congress and Raijor Dal workers outside a nomination center shocked onlookers. In Goalpara, a Congress block president openly canvassed for a BJP candidate, citing his frustration with "outsider interference."

The Congress is set to sack 19 of its district presidents next week for allegedly selling party tickets to outsiders and sidelining dedicated party workers.

Hard Facts & Numbers

• Out of the 21,432 Gram Panchayat seats, BJP is expected to win more than 19,500, according to early unofficial calculations — a staggering 91% projected strike rate.

• In more than 1,200 GP seats, BJP candidates have already won unopposed, reflecting either the collapse or surrender of the Opposition.

• In districts like Darrang, Morigaon, and Biswanath, BJP’s support base among rural Muslims has gone up by 12-15% compared to 2018, as per internal party surveys.

Local Focus, National Pitch: BJP’s Double-Engine Strategy

The BJP’s campaign in the Assam Panchayat elections blends two potent narratives — hyper-local governance and national pride. At the grassroots, BJP’s Panchayat candidates have been equipped with clear mandates, financial backing, and the promise of continuity. On the macro level, the party’s pitch rests firmly on the “double-engine government” — Narendra Modi at the Centre and Himanta Biswa Sarma in Assam — delivering seamless governance and rapid development.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma led the charge with characteristic aggression. His campaign trail was loud, unrelenting, and sharply political. From invoking Gaurav Gogoi’s controversial visit to Pakistan to spinning every contest as a referendum on progress versus paralysis, Sarma ensured that the BJP dominated both headlines and headspaces. 

Even when the Congress tried to strike back in the final stretch — attempting to corner Sarma for his remarks about women job-seekers — it appeared reactive and lacked traction.

In contrast, the Opposition is stumbling. The Congress remains fractured and internally bruised. AIUDF finds itself squeezed between identity politics and political survival. Emerging parties like the AJP and Raijor Dal, once vocal and ambitious, are now barely visible — gasping for relevance in an increasingly one-sided contest.

A Democracy Without a Contest

Assam's 2025 Panchayat elections are proving to be a masterclass in what happens when a ruling party faces no real opposition. Far from being a battle for the people’s mandate, the process has become a showcase of BJP’s consolidation and the Opposition’s fragmentation. The results, though yet to be officially declared, are already being written in bold saffron letters.

The message from rural Assam is loud and clear — development matters, leadership matters, and disunity cannot win hearts.