ASOM blasts BJP’s panchayat win as rigged, demands unified opposition to ‘save democracy’ in Assam

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 12, 2025

The opposition coalition ASOM has fiercely criticized the BJP’s dominant performance in the recent Panchayat elections in Assam, alleging misuse of government machinery, police intimidation, and voter coercion. The alliance declared that only a united opposition can halt the BJP’s unchecked rise ahead of the 2026 state elections.

In a joint statement released Monday, ASOM leaders Ajit Kumar Bhuyan (Rajya Sabha MP and alliance president) and Lurinjyoti Gogoi (Assam Jatiya Parishad president and ASOM general secretary) accused the ruling party of “rigging the democratic process” to secure its win. They alleged that voters were pressured with threats of losing welfare benefits and that the police were used to weaken and suppress opposition candidates.

“This wasn’t a fair election—it was a manipulated one,” the statement said. “Democracy in Assam is being eroded, and this Panchayat poll marks a new low.”

ASOM further accused BJP leaders of importing unethical tactics from other states, such as the use of money power and intimidation strategies commonly associated with Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The alliance argued that the BJP’s apparent popularity is a façade, propped up by force, not public support.

The opposition leaders also pointed to the fragmented anti-BJP vote as a key reason for the ruling party’s success. “BJP wins not because it’s invincible, but because the opposition remains splintered,” they noted. “If we want to challenge this anti-democratic regime, we must unite—there is no alternative.”

Calling for a joint political front of all secular, democratic forces, ASOM urged parties opposed to both BJP and AIUDF to close ranks ahead of the 2026 elections to protect Assam’s democratic future.