Walls turn battleground as BJP kicks off 2026 Assam poll campaign

Guwahati, Jan 5: The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Monday, formally kicked off its campaign for the 2026 Assembly elections with a statewide wall-painting drive, signalling the party’s first major public outreach push ahead of the polls.

The campaign was launched from Guwahati in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia near Khanapara Kendriya Vidyalaya, where party leaders and office-bearers jointly unveiled the initiative.

Describing the drive as a key grassroots mobilisation tool, Sarma said the campaign had begun simultaneously across the state.

He informed that party workers would paint walls only after obtaining consent from owners, underlining that the exercise would be carried out with due permission.

“After permission, workers will paint the lotus, the BJP symbol. This will serve as both public outreach and a campaign medium,” Sarma said, adding that the walls would reflect the party’s work over the past five to ten years.

Saikia added that a similar initiative would be launched in Dibrugarh by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

Both leaders also outlined the slogans that will feature prominently in the campaign.

Sarma said the BJP would highlight themes of security and development, with slogans such as ‘Axomor Suraksha, BJP Pratigya’ and ‘Viksit Assam, Jai Aai Assam’.

Saikia said the party’s agenda would centre on development while safeguarding Assam’s culture, tradition and civilisation, with an emphasis on building a secure and self-reliant state.

On alliance politics, Sarma said the BJP remained firmly aligned with its NDA partners, including the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and allies in Bodoland.

He also asserted that the party is organisationally prepared for the next phase of the election process. “If we are asked to announce candidates today for 50 constituencies, we can,” Sarma said.

Explaining the BJP’s candidate selection mechanism, Sarma said tickets are not allotted based on proposals or financial considerations.

“The process starts from the polling booth, moves to mandal, then district, state and finally Delhi. Proposals come from party workers. There are no fees involved,” he said, adding that every party follows its own system.

The Chief Minister used the occasion to mount a sharp attack on the Congress, alleging that the party was collecting money in exchange for tickets.

He claimed that large sums were being taken in multiple constituencies and alleged that the Congress failed to stand by communities even after collecting funds.

“Sums ranging from Rs 3 crore to Rs 5 crore are being collected, and this will be revealed soon. Congress leaders are even preserving money for personal events like weddings,” Sarma alleged.

As the wall-painting drive rolls out across Assam, Sarma said the BJP’s focus remained firmly on public service and seeking public support, setting the tone for an election campaign that the party intends to take directly to neighbourhoods and streets across the state.