How Himanta demolished Congress's 3G in Assam
The Congress's three-Gogoi alliance of Ahom leaders failed to turn Upper Assam away from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Often referred to as Chanakya of the Northeast, Sarma used a pincer attack of development and consolidation to boost BJP's tally and return to power in Assam.
by Sushim Mukul · India TodayIn Short
- Congress banked on three Gogoi leaders to consolidate Upper Assam's Ahom voters
- Voters responded to visible road projects and connectivity upgrades across the region
- Dibrugarh's push as a second capital underscored decentralisation under Himanta Sarma
Upper Assam has a political memory, one against the "Bamon raja". The Congress-led opposition alliance walked into the 2026 Assam election believing the sentiment could still move votes. It sought to counter Himanta Biswa Sarma — a Brahmin from Guwahati — Assam's Chief Minister since 2021. The Congress-led alliance of the three Gogois — Gaurav Gogoi (of Congress), Akhil Gogoi (of Raijor Dal), and Lurinjyoti Gogoi (Assam Jatiya Parishad)— all from the Ahom community, was meant to tap into the dominant community in Upper Assam. It's also known to be a Congress stronghold, but this year, on the ground, it didn't transmit. Himanta's consolidation outdid the Gogoi troika's consolidation.
The Ahom belt didn’t go all in. It is in Upper Assam where Himanta's politics and policies have shifted the baseline. Upper Assam hasn't been ignored under him. The voters have approved of Mama, as Himanta is fondly called. The voters seem to have noticed what many outsiders miss amid the Miya Muslim cacophony.
In the leads and confirmations that are pouring in, the BJP, being led by Himanta, is set to get at least 98 seats in the 2026 Assam Assembly election. Of these, the BJP has won or is leading in 98 seats in upper Assam.
Gaurav Gogoi, Congress MP and the party's Assam president, is contesting from Jorhat, Akhil Gogoi, the chief of Raijor Dal, is contesting from Sivasagar and the AJP chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi is fighting from Khowang. These Assembly constituencies are all in Upper Assam.
Gaurav Gogoi is trailing in Jorhat by 13,344 votes, Raijor Dal Akhil Gogoi is ahead by 410 votes at Sivasagar and Lurinjyoti Gogoi is trailing by 7,175 votes Khowang.
Gaurav, who is facing sitting BJP MLA Hitendra Nath Goswami, and Lurinjyoti, who is up against BJP incumbent Chakradhar Gogoi, have tough fights on their hands. Both the BJP MLAs have been seen as performers in terms of development work in their constituencies.
The Himanta Biswa Sarma government's development work, especially focusing on Upper Assam, is evident.
HOW HIMANTA TOOK AHOM FIGHT TO UPPER ASSAM
Roads and highways have improved in Upper Assam. A major push for a high-speed Guwahati-Dibrugarh expressway, aimed at reducing travel time to four hours, has been made. Multiple National Highway upgrades, four-laning projects, and bridges have enhanced links to Arunachal Pradesh, where the China border is, and also within Upper Assam. Emergency landing strips and better rural roads have also been prioritised.
Dibrugarh is being developed as Assam's second administrative capital. Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation for a new Assam Legislative Assembly complex and an MLA hostel in the Upper Assam town, now a city. This would decentralise governance and bring Dispur and Dibrugarh closer. Sarma has set a target for significant progress by 2027.
Money into Dibrugarh University has been pumped, and expansion at Assam Medical College is in progress. This might not be headline-grabbing, but it has been steady.Then, there's also the "Mama" image that works for Himanta. "Mama" isn't "Chacha". Chacha is authority. Mama gives a sense of access. Mamaghar has a relaxed, and a familiar vibe. Through welfare schemes, direct messaging, and a certain casualness in public communication, Himanta Biswa Sarma has made that stick.
HIMANTA'S CONSOLIDATION BIGGER THAN THE 3G's
Even as the Gogoi troika attempted to consolidate Ahom votes, Himanta was going in for a far bigger consolidation. He spoke about the threat to entire Assam and the Assamese culture and heritage from illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. His attacks on the Miya Muslim community were incessant.
The Ahoms are around 5% of Assam's population, but they are a power bloc in Upper Assam. Himanta tried to consolidate all Hindu votes, including Ahoms.
The battle of passports between Himanta and Gaurav was, in fact, part of the bhumiputra battle. The fight was about who is the true son of the soil.
The 3G never found an answer to that combination that worked in Himanta's favour. Adding to that the "Miya Muslim" layer, the BJP launched a sharper, louder, and more electorally effective campaign. By pushing the "Miya" narrative, Himanta tapped into old anxieties around migration and the non-Muslim electorate. This helped consolidate or polarise Hindu and indigenous voters.
Congress's 3G, the bet of the three Gogois, who have just the surname in common, did not work. The Ahom voter didn't reject the Gogois outright. In a way they did too.
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