Guwahati: Regionalism in Assam, once the dominant force shaping the state's politics, remains at its weakest. The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), born out of the historic Assam movement against Bangladeshi infiltrators and having formed the government twice, has steadily declined since the rise of the BJP.
AGP's Marginal Improvement
This election was yet another test for the AGP. The party, which had been reduced to its lowest tally of nine seats in 2021, managed only a marginal improvement this time, securing 10 seats. Once the largest regional party in the northeast, the AGP, which hand-held the BJP in the 2001 assembly elections and later in Lok Sabha polls as a senior partner, now survives largely as a junior partner in the BJP-led NDA. Its influence has shrunk, and its identity politics has been overshadowed by the BJP's ability to absorb and amplify the same themes while combining them with welfare delivery and national leadership appeal.
Struggles of Newer Regional Outfits
Similarly, two other smaller and newer regional outfits, Raijor Dal and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), which contested their second assembly elections in 2026, are still struggling to gain a solid foothold. While Raijor Dal, led by Akhil Gogoi, managed to better its 2021 tally of one seat to two, the AJP drew a blank for the second time.
Bodo Heartland Dynamics
Two other regional parties, the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) and the Bodoland People's Front (BPF), based out of the Bodo heartland, are fighting for political space within their limited seats. If it was the UPPL which had an upper hand in 2021, winning six seats with the BPF managing four, in this election the fortunes have reversed. The BPF won the lion's share of 10 of the 15 seats while the UPPL bowed out without a single win.
Decline of Regionalism
Together, the AGP, Raijor Dal, and BPF hold only 22 of Assam's 126 assembly seats, compared to the BJP's commanding majority of over 82, producing an imbalance that starkly illustrates the decline of regionalism. The 2026 results confirm that regionalism in Assam is at the crossroads. Unless the AGP, Raijor Dal, AJP, BPF, and UPPL reinvent themselves beyond identity politics and present credible governance alternatives, they risk fading into irrelevance.
AIUDF's Downfall
On the flip side, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), led by Badruddin Ajmal, faced a similar fate at the hands of its Muslim supporters. The party, which won 16 seats just five years back, was reduced to a meager two seats this time around. If the AGP, Raijor Dal, AJP, BPF, and UPPL are living under the shadow of the BJP, the AIUDF's downfall has been due to the Congress.
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