NDA Dominates Inaugural Silchar Municipal Election, Congress Reduced to Two Seats

Guwahati: In the maiden election for the Silchar Municipal Corporation, the National Democratic Alliance led by the BJP achieved a landslide, winning 34 out of 42 seats and cementing a comfortable majority in the newly formed civic body. The BJP alone captured 32 wards, while its regional ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) added two more. The Congress was left with only two seats, and independents managed to take six.

The vote, held on 3 October, was conducted with traditional ballot papers rather than electronic voting machines (EVMs). Polling covered 40 wards; two BJP candidates were declared elected unopposed. Counting began on Tuesday, after which the results were announced.

BJP registers a commanding win

The outcome gives the NDA a decisive foothold in Silchar’s first elected municipal corporation, with a clear majority of 34 seats. The BJP contested 38 wards and emerged victorious in 32, while AGP secured two. The Congress also fielded candidates in 38 wards but could win only two. Six independents succeeded, bringing the total number of contestants to 133.

The BJP has asked for recounts in two wards – one where an independent candidate won and another where the Congress prevailed. Election officials have yet to rule on these petitions.

Himanta Sarma targets Congress

Following the declaration, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma seized the moment to criticize the Congress for its poor showing. Highlighting that the election used paper ballots, he argued that the party’s defeat could not be blamed on the absence of EVMs.

Sarma further linked the result to growing public endorsement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the BJP’s development agenda. In a social‑media post, he hailed the NDA’s performance as a major triumph for the party in Silchar.

His comments arrive as the Congress continues to raise concerns about electronic voting, alleging irregularities. Sarma used the ballot‑paper outcome to counter those claims, suggesting the party’s woes stem from voter sentiment rather than technology.

BJP state chief also attacks Congress

Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia echoed the chief minister’s sentiment, welcoming the results and taking aim at the Congress. He emphasized that the Silchar poll used paper ballots, contending that the victory undermines the opposition’s accusations of EVM manipulation.

Party cadres celebrated at the BJP headquarters in Guwahati, portraying the win as a boost to the party’s urban credibility in the Barak Valley.

Civic issues dominated the campaign

Beyond the political fireworks, local civic concerns shaped the campaign narrative. Voters voiced frustrations over deteriorating roads, inadequate drainage, chronic water‑logging, erratic power supply, and unreliable drinking‑water provision.

Silchar’s municipal body was upgraded to a 42‑ward corporation in 2022 and became operational in June 2025, after years without an elected civic authority. The NDA’s sweeping victory now equips the ruling alliance with a clear mandate to address these long‑standing municipal challenges, while also serving as a bellwether for upcoming elections across Assam.