Formation of New Assam Government Post 2026 Assembly Elections

The recent 2026 Assembly elections in Assam have led to a significant shift in the political landscape, with the BJP securing a majority. However, the party plans to continue its coalition with regional partners AGP and BPF, each likely to receive two Cabinet positions. This article delves into the implications of these developments, the historical context of the NDA's power retention, and the anticipated structure of the new government. As the swearing-in ceremony approaches, the focus remains on the coalition dynamics and the selection of leaders within the Assembly. Discover how these changes will shape Assam's governance in the coming years.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 7, 2026, 10:31 IST

New Government Formation in Assam

An image of Narendra Modi with Himanta Biswa Sarma and the council of Ministers of Assam (Photo - @airnews_ghy / X)

Guwahati, May 7: With the results of the 2026 Assembly elections announced earlier this week, attention is now directed towards establishing the new State government.

Despite the BJP achieving a clear majority in the Assam Legislative Assembly, high-ranking sources within the party indicate that the current coalition arrangement will persist, with the junior NDA partners, AGP and BPF, retaining their representation in the new government.

It is anticipated that both regional parties will receive two Cabinet positions each, according to these sources.

The NDA successfully maintained its power in the recent elections, securing 102 out of 126 seats in the Assam Assembly. The BJP's representation rose to 82, marking its highest tally in the State, while both AGP and BPF captured 10 seats each.

In the 2016 elections, when the NDA first assumed control in Dispur, the alliance won 86 seats, comprising 60 for the BJP, 14 for the AGP, and 12 for the BPF. By 2021, the ruling coalition's seat count had decreased to 75.

This time, the BJP has achieved a majority independently. A senior BJP official stated, “Our party has consistently honored ‘coalition dharma’ and will continue to do so. Our allies are not just electoral partners; they are integral members of our extended family. Even when our numbers increased to 64 in the last Assembly, we did not abandon our allies. This principle holds true not only in Assam but throughout India.”

The maximum number of ministers in Assam can reach 19, including the Chief Minister. While the Chief Minister has the discretion to determine the ministry's composition, it is likely that both AGP and BPF will be allocated two positions each based on their Assembly strength, with the remaining slots filled from the BJP's quota.

Furthermore, the Chief Minister, in consultation with the party's central leadership, may opt to keep the ministry small initially and expand it later by adding more members, as was done in 2016 and 2021.

In 2016, the then Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal initially included two ministers each from AGP (Atul Bora and Keshab Mahanta) and BPF (Pramila Rani Brahma and Rihon Daimary).

Later, in 2018, an additional representative from each alliance partner (Phani Bhusan Choudhury of AGP and Chandan Brahma of BPF) was inducted during the ministry's expansion. In the outgoing ministry led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, two AGP members (Atul Bora and Keshab Mahanta) and one from UPPL (UG Brahma) are part of the State Cabinet.

“The decision regarding the induction of new Cabinet members from AGP and BPF will be made by the leadership of those parties,” stated another senior BJP leader.

The swearing-in ceremony for the new government will be preceded by separate meetings of the Legislature Parties from all three NDA constituents to select their respective leaders in the Assembly, along with a joint meeting of the NDA Legislature Party.