Story so far: Incumbent Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma won a second term as the BJP-led North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) won 102 of the 126-seat Assembly polls. The Congress-led six-party alliance won only 21 seats (Congress –19, Raijor Dal – 2) while All India United Democratic Front (AIDUF) won two seats and Trinamool and Independent candidates one each. 

Banking on Mr. Sarma’s popularity, BJP made “removal of illegal immigrants” and continuing infrastructure push in the North-East at its poll plank as a special revision of electoral rolls deleted 2.43 lakh voters. Distancing itself from Badruddin Ajmal’s AIUDF and vowing to “secure justice” for State icon Zubeen Garg’s untimely death, the Congress cobbled up a regional alliance with Akhil Gogoi’s Raijor Dal, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), Left parties and All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC).