Opposition’s Battle Over Miya Constituencies delaying Alliance Talks: Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday launched a sharp attack on opposition parties, asserting that while the BJP remains confident of sweeping indigenous Hindu-majority constituencies, opposition parties are engaged in a contest over Miya Muslim-majority seats amid prolonged alliance negotiations.

Addressing the media, the Chief Minister claimed the BJP’s electoral position in Hindu-dominated constituencies remains secure, while the opposition’s internal conflict reflects competition for a limited political space.

“The local Hindu population will vote for the BJP for sure. In the 22 assembly constituencies where the majority of the population is Miya, opposition parties are fighting for those constituencies,” Sarma said.

He alleged that both the Indian National Congress and Raijor Dal are targeting the same voter base, which he described as the primary reason behind delays in finalising seat-sharing arrangements.

“The vote bank of both parties — Congress and Raijor Dal — is now Miya Muslim. The reason they are taking so much time for an alliance is because both want the same constituencies where Miya Muslims are in the majority,” he stated.

Emphasising the BJP’s strategy, Sarma said the party is focusing on consolidating support in Hindu-majority areas, while the opposition is preoccupied with negotiating control over Miya-dominated constituencies.

“If the fight for constituencies was happening in Jorhat or Dibrugarh, it would have been understandable. But they are fighting over seats like Jania and Baghbar, where Miya Muslims are in the majority. What does it prove?” he remarked.

The Chief Minister further suggested that voting trends in such constituencies are largely predictable, leaving little incentive for the BJP to intervene in the opposition’s seat-sharing dynamics.

“The local Hindus will vote for BJP only, while Miya Muslims are going to vote for Congress or Raijor Dal. We do not have much to comment as those are not our seats — those are for the opposition, being Miya Muslim-majority areas,” Sarma said.

Projecting possible electoral outcomes, he indicated that opposition parties may end up splitting the available seats among themselves.

“Out of the 22 seats, if four are given to Raijor Dal and one goes to the Assam Jatiya Parishad, another could be won by BTC Chief Hagrama Mohilary. If the situation remains similar, Congress may not even secure the position of Leader of the Opposition,” he added.

The remarks come at a time when opposition parties continue negotiations over alliance formation ahead of the upcoming elections. The Chief Minister seems confident in Hindu-majority constituencies, even as political contestation intensifies among opposition parties over Miya Muslim-majority regions across the state.

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