Guwahati: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) first list of candidates for the 2026 Assam Assembly elections has renewed focus on women’s representation, with the party fielding six women, one fewer than in the 2021 polls.
The candidates include Madhavi Das (Birsing-Jarua), Jyostna Kalita (Chaygaon), Nilima Devi (Mangaldai), Ajanta Neog (Golaghat), Niso Terangpi (Diphu), and Rupali Langthasa (Haflong).
While the inclusion reflects a continued, albeit limited, presence of women in the party’s electoral strategy, the decline has drawn attention, particularly in light of earlier assurances from the leadership. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had, in the run-up to the elections, indicated that the party would expand women’s representation alongside inducting younger and new faces.
In the lead-up to the polls, Sarma had repeatedly emphasised the need to promote “young and energetic faces” and enhance the participation of women in electoral politics. However, the current list suggests only a modest presence, falling short of those expectations.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the BJP had fielded seven women candidates, while the Congress had nominated nine women out of 95 candidates.
A broader trend over the years points to a persistent gap in women’s representation. In 2016, the BJP had fielded six women across 84 seats, while the Congress had nominated 17 women out of 122.
Data from the Election Commission of India indicates that despite a steady rise in women voters, their representation in the Assam Assembly remains limited. In 2016, only eight of the 91 women candidates across parties were elected. The number declined further in 2021, with just six of the 76 women candidates securing seats in the 126-member House.
The figures underscore a continuing disparity between women’s electoral participation and their representation in legislative bodies, even as political parties reiterate commitments to greater inclusion.