Initial Statement issued by the Assam State Committee of the CPI(M) 

The BJP-led alliance has returned to power in Assam for a third consecutive term with an overwhelming majority of seats. The fact that the alliance secured nearly 48 per cent of the total votes (BJP alone secured 37.8 percent of votes, contesting in 90 seats out of a total of 126 seats) despite widespread public dissatisfaction with the BJP government has surprised many observers.

According to the Assam State Committee of the CPI(M), there existed deep and widespread public anger against the ruling BJP government over several critical issues, including the steep rise in prices of essential commodities, the government’s dismal failure to generate employment, the ongoing attempts to evict ordinary peasants from lands under their possession in order to hand over vast stretches of land to corporate interests, the extraordinary accumulation of wealth by ministers and MLAs including members of the Chief Minister’s family, and the systematic erosion of democratic and civil rights in the state. A substantial section of the people of Assam had been searching for a credible alternative to the BJP government.

However, the opposition parties failed to rise to the occasion by forging timely and effective unity. In particular, unnecessary delays in finalising seat-sharing arrangements among opposition parties prevented the organisation of coordinated campaigns, joint rallies, and a united political mobilisation. Consequently, the opposition could not inspire sufficient public confidence regarding the possibility of forming an alternative government. Taking advantage of this situation, the BJP-led alliance succeeded in returning to power once again.

Before the elections, the BJP-led government had brought a large section of voters under various welfare schemes, thereby creating a substantial beneficiary base. Along with influencing these beneficiaries in favour of the BJP, widespread intimidation was allegedly carried out by warning people that benefits under such schemes could be withdrawn if they were seen associating with opposition parties. The CPI(M) further alleged that through continuous hate campaigns against Muslims by the Chief Minister and other BJP leaders, as well as through discriminatory eviction drives, the BJP engineered religious polarisation among voters and derived political benefit from it.

The party stated that, instead of addressing its failures in ensuring genuine development, improving the living conditions of the people, generating employment, and strengthening public education and healthcare systems, the BJP deliberately diverted public attention towards divisive politics in pursuit of narrow political interests. In doing so, the party did not hesitate to endanger the unity, harmony, peace, and communal amity of the state.

The CPI(M) also criticised the role of the Election Commission, alleging that its conduct throughout the electoral process was partisan. The party claimed that the entire delimitation exercise had been carried out along communal lines in accordance with the BJP’s political agenda, thereby strengthening divisive politics in the state. It further alleged that even prior to the Assembly elections, lakhs of voters — particularly religious minority voters — were subjected to harassment during the Special Revision (SR) of electoral rolls, and that many names were unfairly deleted from the voter list.

The statement also noted that despite repeated provocative and communal remarks made openly by the Chief Minister during the election campaign, no visible action was taken by the Election Commission. Such partisan conduct, the party said, has led a large section of people to question the fairness and credibility of the election results.

The CPI(M) expressed concern that no Left legislator has been elected to the Assam Legislative Assembly this time, at a moment when the strength of the opposition has already been significantly reduced. As a result, the effective articulation of the concerns and aspirations of ordinary people within the Assembly has been seriously weakened.

The party announced that it would soon undertake an objective review of the election results and formulate its future course of action. The CPI(M) warned that the BJP alliance’s return to power for a third term could intensify anti-people, authoritarian, and communal policies and actions. The party affirmed that it would take fresh initiatives to build broad-based democratic movements and strengthen public opinion in defence of democratic rights and in support of the struggles of the people of Assam.