Guwahati: In a breakthrough for opposition unity in Assam, the Indian National Congress and Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal have finalised a seat-sharing arrangement ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, with the Congress allocating 11 constituencies to its ally.
Under the agreement, the Raijor Dal will contest from Sivasagar, Dalgaon, Dhing, Sissiborgaon, Digboi, Bokakhat, Manas, Tezpur, Kaliabor, Margherita, and Mariani.
In addition, Goalpara East and Gauripur have been identified as “friendly contest” seats, where both parties are expected to field candidates.
The development comes shortly after Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president and MP Gaurav Gogoi indicated that efforts were underway to broaden the opposition alliance. The Congress is already aligned with the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Communist Party of India-Marxist–Leninist Liberation (CPI-ML), and the All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC).
Gaurav Gogoi had earlier underscored the need for a united opposition front, noting that while time was limited, discussions were progressing towards a consensus. He had also said that the proposed arrangement would be placed before the party’s central leadership for approval.
The alliance is being viewed as a strategic attempt to consolidate anti-incumbency sentiment against the BJP-led government under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, as opposition parties seek to build a broader coalition ahead of the elections.
With the seat-sharing formula between the Congress and Raijor Dal now largely in place, the contours of the opposition alliance in Assam are beginning to take clearer shape ahead of the elections.