CPI(M) to contest 4–5 BTC seats, eyes 15 in 2026 Assembly polls

Guwahati, Aug 7: With the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections drawing near, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI(M), on Thursday announced its decision to contest four to five seats in the upcoming polls.

The announcement was made at a press conference held in Hedayatpur, Guwahati.

Looking ahead to the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, the party also revealed that it has identified 15 constituencies across the state where it plans to field candidates.

“The CPI(M) has decided to expedite its electoral preparations and has shortlisted 15 Assembly seats for this purpose. As part of this strategy, the party is gearing up to contest 4–5 seats in the upcoming BTC elections,” the party said in a statement.

Speaking to the press, CPI(M) Assam State Secretary Suprakash Talukdar also called upon all Opposition parties, including the Congress, to begin alliance talks without delay.

He reiterated the CPI(M)’s commitment to a united front under the Assam Sanmilita Mancha—a platform uniting like-minded parties and organisations.

“The bell for the 2026 elections has already rung. It is time for all democratic forces to come together and send a strong message of unity to the people,” Talukdar said.

The CPI(M) also launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led state government over recent eviction drives, accusing Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the BJP-RSS leadership of attempting to stoke communal tensions, particularly targeting the Bengali-speaking Muslim community.

The party described the eviction efforts as a "systematic campaign" carried out under the guise of law enforcement.

“The government is trying to provoke communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims in the name of Assamese identity,” Talukdar alleged, adding that the real goal is to polarise voters ahead of the 2026 elections.

The CPI(M) condemned these actions and urged the state government to uphold its constitutional duty by restoring law and order.

Additionally, the party criticised the ruling BJP’s governance, alleging that the government is seeking to divert public attention from key issues such as the cattle smuggling scam, widespread corruption, soaring inflation, severe unemployment, and poor performance in the education and healthcare sectors.