The Assam Legislative Assembly Election of 2016 was held in two phases, on 4 and 11 April 2016, to elect members of the 126 constituencies in Assam, a state in North-eastern India.[1] The overall voter turnout was 84.72%, which set a new record for Assam.[2][3] The turnout was an increase from the 2011 Assembly election figure of 75%.[4]
The counting of votes and results declaration was completed on 19 May 2016. The election brought a change of power as the Indian National Congress (INC), which had formed the government under Tarun Gogoi since 2001, lost its majority to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP, lit "Indian People's Party") led by Sarbananda Sonowal. Sonowal became the first elected BJP chief minister in the Northeast, and his victory marked the start of other BJP victories in the Northeast, a region traditionally ruled by regional parties or the INC.
An update to the National Register of Citizens of India (NRC) was to be completed by 1 January 2016, monitored by the Supreme Court of India.[10][11] By September 2015, the first phase was completed; over 66.90 lakh (6,690,000) households submitted forms linking themselves to either the NRC of 1951 or any of the electoral rolls prior to 24 March 1971. It was to be followed by verifying the applications.
The effort was intended to detect and deport the illegal migrants who came from neighbouring Bangladesh on or after 25 March 1971.[12] Since 1985, Foreigners' Tribunals have declared over 38,000 persons in Assam as illegal migrants. Nearly 1.5 lakh (150,000) names in Assam's electoral rolls carry the prefix "D" for "Doubtful" citizenship status.[13] The Supreme Court directed the Assam Government to complete the final NRC by 1 March 2016.[14][15] In May 2015, the historic India–Bangladesh land swap deal was signed, exchanging long-standing territorial enclaves and simplifying the border.[16]
According to the draft electoral rolls published in October 2015, the total number of voters in Assam stands at 1.92 crores (19.2 million). The Election Commission said that final electoral rolls would be published by 11 January 2016.
Religion data
According to the 2011 census, 61.5% were Hindus, 34.22% were Muslims.[17][18] Christian minorities (3.7%) are mostly among some of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (SC/ST) population.[19] The Scheduled Tribe population (both ST(Plains) and ST(Hills) combined) in Assam is around 13% of which the Bodo people(an indigenous Assamese community) account for 40% and the Scheduled Caste population is about 7.4% of which the Kaibarta and Jal Keot(both indigenous Assamese communities) combined account for about 36%.[20]
Out of 32 districts of Assam, 11 are Muslim majority according to the 2011 census.[21] The districts are Dhubri, Goalpara, Barpeta, Morigaon, Nagaon, Hojai, Karimganj, South Salmara–Mankachar, Hailakandi, Darrang and Bongaigaon.[22][23][24] Bodos have a population share of 12% and the Kaibarta and Jal Keot have a total share of about 10% (all of which are a part of the indigenous Assamese community).[25] The share of the indigenous Assamese communities in Assam was about 47% in the 2001 census which has reduced to about 40-45% in 2016 as predicted by experts. Indigenous Assamese Muslims, also known as Khilonjia Muslims, include ethnic groups such as Goria and Moria, and are estimated to be around 40 lakhs in population out of a total 1 crore (4million out of 10million) Muslims in Assam.[26]
In December 2015, Indian National Congress (INC) Vice-President Rahul Gandhi visited Assam where he accused Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS, lit "National Volunteer Organisation") workers of not letting him enter Barpeta Satra temple in Barpeta district.[36] RSS, widely regarded as the parent organisation of BJP, denied the charge. Gandhi announced that Tarun Gogoi would be the chief minister candidate of INC.[37] Demand was growing for giving scheduled tribe (ST) status to six communities – Tai Ahoms, Koch Rajbongshis, Moran, Motok, Sootea and 36 tea tribes (the descendants of tea garden workers settled by British in the state from Chotanagpur plateau in the mid-19th century).[38][39]
In November 2015, nine members of the legislative assembly left the INC and joined BJP.[40] Assam Governor PB Acharya made a controversial statement that Hindustan is only for Hindus.[41] Ex-United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) rebels announced that they would contest Assam polls.[42] On 26 December 2015, BJP's Assam unit launched its 'Assam Nirman' initiative, seeking public opinion to prepare a vision document for development in Assam.[43]
On 28 December 2015, Smriti Irani visited Barak Valley in Assam and accused the Tarun Gogoi government of not doing enough for women's safety.[44][45] Gogoi accused the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of stalling tactics on granting citizenship to refugees from Bangladesh, claiming that they had been persecuted there.[46] Gogoi said external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj met with businessmen in Assam during her visit instead of talking about the problems and issues confronting the state.[47]
In January 2016, the Gogoi government announced rice prices at Rs 2 per kilogramme and to build all-religion bhawans.[48][49] The Assam INC President ruled-out any alliance with All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) or Asom Gana Parishad (AGP, lit "Assam Peoples Association") parties.[50][51] Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Assam on 3 January 2016 and said the fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh border would be completed by December 2016.[52][53] A delegation of the All Assam Students Union (AASU) met Singh and visited the border areas. Rajnath Singh visited Dhubri district and expressed dissatisfaction with the fencing work there. He said that a feasibility study and two pilot projects were underway in the Dhubri sector of the riverine border.[54] Gogoi said that 97.32% of the border fencing work in Karimganj and Dhubri was complete and asked the Central Government to take up a pilot project involving technological solutions to plug the riverine border.[55][56]
On 28 January, the BJP Parliamentary Board announced Sarbananda Sonowal as their Chief Ministerial candidate of Assam.[59] Union minister of state for commerce and industry Nirmala Sitharaman accused Gogoi of spreading misinformation on the suspension of the North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP), 2007.[60] Ethnic groups of Assam sought ULFA pro-talks faction headed by founding general secretary Anup Chetia to help them receive ST designation.[61][62]
On 2 March, the BJP announced its alliance with AGP.[68] AGP was given 24 seats.[69] Gogoi announced a special package of Rs 3,000 cr (Rs 30billion) for Barak Valley.[70] Gandhi visited Assam for two days, 4–5 March 2016, and addressed public meetings in Silchar and Nagaon.[71] On 6 March 2016, INC allied with Bodo-heartland-based United People's Party in a strategy to counter BJP's alliance with BPF.[72]
On 10 March, BJP declared candidates for the first phase of Assam elections.[73] Out of 126 Assembly constituencies, BJP contested 84 constituencies and left 42 to its four National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies: AGP (24), BPF (16), Rabha Jatiya Aikya Manch (1) and Tiwa Jatiya Aikya Manch (1). BJP gave tickets to two ex-militants including Bhaskar Sarma (who was accused of secret killings). On 16 March 2016, Sarbananda Sonowal filed his nomination for the Majuli (ST) assembly seat.[74][75] Modi addressed a rally in Majuli on 23 March 2016.[76] INC released its first list of 65 candidates on 15 March 2016;[77] the second list of 57 candidates was announced on 21 March 2016.[78][79] INC contested 122 seats while its ally United People's Party contested the remaining 4 seats.[80] BJP's Himanta Biswa Sarma filed nomination papers from Jalukbari on 21 March 2016.[81] AIUDF contested around 76 seats while its allies in Assam – Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal (United) (JD[U]) – contest 12 seats each.[82] AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal ran for South Salmara seat, while Gogoi ran for the Titabar seat against BJP MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa.[83][84]
Voter turnout was 84.72%.[97] 87.03% polling was recorded in the second phase, the highest in Assam's history.[98][99] One person was killed by police in Assam.[100] 189 EVMs were replaced in the final phase due to technical issues.[101] A total of 1,064 candidates contested the elections – 122 from INC, 89 from BJP, 74 from AIUDF, 30 from AGP, 13 from the BPF, 15 from CPI, 19 from CPM, 205 others and 497 Independents. The total number of polling stations in Assam was 24,890, spread across 50 election districts.
Asom Gana Parishad is a political party in the state of Assam, India. The AGP was formed following the historic Assam Accord of 1985 and formally launched at the Golaghat Convention held from 13 to 14 October 1985 in Golaghat, which also allowed Prafulla Kumar Mahanta who was the youngest chief minister of the state to be elected. The AGP has formed government twice once in 1985 then again in 1996. The popularity of AGP surged in the late 1980s but declined in the 2000s. After a 20-year gap, AGP, in alliance with NDA, won a Lok Sabha seat in 2024.
Tarun Gogoi was an Indian politician and lawyer who served as the 13th Chief Minister of Assam from 2001 to 2016. He was the longest serving Chief Minister of Assam. He was a member of the Indian National Congress. During his tenure as the chief minister, he is credited with ending militant insurgency and mitigating violence in addition to improving the state's fiscal condition.
Sarbananda Sonowal is an Indian politician who serving as 9th Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways since 2024. He also the Member of the Rajya Sabha representing Assam since 2021 and also a member of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs since 2021. He is the 14th Chief Minister of Assam from 2016 to 2021 and the former of Assam Legislative Assembly from Majuli from 2016 until he resigned in 2021 and from Moran constituency from 2001 to 2004. Sonowal earlier served as the Assam state unit President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from 2012 to 2014 and again from 2015 to 2016. He has also served as the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of India, from 2014 to 2016 and the Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Skill Development from 2014 to 2014 and the member of the Lok Sabha from Lakhimpur from 2014 to 2016 and from Dibrugarh from 2004 to 2009. He was also the member of the Asom Gana Parishad from 2001 to 2011.
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Himanta Biswa Sarma is an Indian politician and lawyer serving as the 15th and current Chief Minister of Assam since 2021. A former member of the Indian National Congress, Sarma joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on 23 August 2015 and soon was made convenor of NEDA. He is a five time Member of the Assam Legislative Assembly from Jalukbari, having been elected since 2001.
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Chandan Brahma is a politician from Assam belonging to the Bodoland People's Front who represented the Sidli Assembly constituency of Kokrajhar district from 2006 until 2021. He was first elected to the Assam Legislative Assembly in 2006 as an independent candidate and later joined the Bodoland People's Front.
Nabanita Handique is an Indian politician. She was elected to the Assam Legislative Assembly from Sonari in the 2019 by election as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. By-elections happen due to Topon Kumar Gogoi elected to Parliament.
The 2021 Assam Legislative Assembly election was the 15th quinquennial legislative assembly election held in the Indian state of Assam from March 27 to April 6 in three phases, to elect 126 MLAs to the 15th Assam Legislative Assembly. The votes were counted and the result declared on Sunday, 2 May. The term of the previous Fourteenth Legislative Assembly of Assam ended on 31 May 2021.
The Sarma ministry is the current council of ministers of the Government of Assam which has been in office since 10 May 2021. The ministry is headed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and consists of 16 cabinet ministers. The chief minister and 14 other ministers were sworn-in into office by Governor Jagdish Mukhi on 10 May 2021.
Bismita Gogoi is an Indian politician from the state of Assam who served as the Minister of State for Cultural Affairs from 2015 to 2016. A member of the Indian National Congress prior to 2024, Gogoi was the member of Assam Legislative Assembly for Khumtai from 2010 to 2016.
Rameswar Dhanowar was an Indian politician from the state of Assam. He was a Member of the Assam Legislative Assembly from the Indian National Congress for Digboi. He was made a minister in Hiteswar Saikia and Tarun Gogoi’s cabinet.
Tanka Bahadur Rai is an Indian National Congress politician from the state of Assam. He was a Member of the Assam Legislative Assembly from the Indian National Congress for Barchalla. He was Deputy Speaker and then Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly. He was also a minister in the Tarun Gogoi cabinet.
Pranati Phukan is a former minister, deputy speaker and member of Assam Legislative Assembly.
Chandan Kumar Sarkar was an Indian politician from the state of Assam. He served as the Minister of Irrigation and Soil Conservation in the Third Tarun Gogoi Ministry from 2015 to 2016. He was a member of the Assam Legislative Assembly from Abhayapuri South constituency from 1991 to 1996, 2001 to 2006 and again from 2011 to 2016. His son Pradip Sarkar was the current MLA from Abhayapuri South Assembly constituency.
Nilamani Sen Deka is an Indian Politician from the state of Assam. He was a member of Assam Legislative Assembly for Dharmapur from 2001 to 2006 and 2011 to 2016. He also served as agriculture minister from 2011 to 2015.
Tarun Gogoi constituted his ministry for a second time on 21 May 2006. Gogoi had previously been Chief Minister since 2001. Following the 2006 Assam Legislative Assembly election, Gogoi became Chief Minister for a second time as he had formed his first ministry previously. The coalition government was supported by the Hagrama faction of the Bodoland People's Progressive Front, NCP and independents. There were 17 cabinet ministers and one minister of state, all of whom were either Congress or Independent.
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