1996 Assam Legislative Assembly election

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Last edited May 6, 2026


Template:Infobox election

Elections to the Assam Legislative Assembly were held in April 1996 to elect members of 122 constituencies in Assam, India. The Indian National Congress (INC) won the popular vote, but the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) won the most seats and Prafulla Kumar Mahanta was appointed as the Chief Minister of Assam for his second term.[1][2] The number of constituencies was set as 126, by the recommendation of the Delimitation Commission of India,[3] but elections were held in only 122 constituencies. The constituencies of Dispur, Dergaon, Nazira and Margherita did not go to polls immediately, but they had polls in November 1996.

Background

In 1991, the Indian Army was tasked with executing Operation Rhino against the United Liberation Front of Assam.[4] In 1993, the six-year agitation by the All Bodo Students' Union in Assam demanding a separate state within India ended with a peace accord that established an autonomous district council.[5]

The Chief Minister of Assam, Hiteswar Saikia, died in Delhi, on 22 April 1996, only 5 days before the election.[6] Bhumidhar Barman was sworn in as interim chief-minister, but as the Indian National Congress failed to form the government after the elections, his tenure lasted 22 days. The party's defeat was attributed to Saikia's death, which unravelled the electoral coalition he had built up in opposition to the resurgent Asom Gana Parishad.[7][8][9]

In 1991, former Home Minister, Bhrigu Kumar Phukan, formed the Natun Asom Gana Parishad (NAGP) in opposition to the policies of Asom Gana Parishad leader, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta. Phukan merged the NAGP back with the AGP before the 1996 elections.[10] The AGP formed also a five-party pre-poll electoral alliance before the elections with the CPI, the CPI(M), the ASDC and the UMFA.[11]

Parties and alliances

colspan="6" Template:Party color cell
Party Flag Symbol Leader Seats
Template:Full party name with color File:INC Flag Official.jpg File:INC Hand.svg Hiteswar Saikia 122
colspan="6" Template:Party color cell
AGP-led Alliance
Party Flag Symbol Leader Seats
Template:Full party name with color File:Indian Election Symbol Elephant.png Prafulla Kumar Mahanta 95
Template:Full party name with color File:CPI-M-flag.svg File:Indian Election Symbol Hammer Sickle and Star.png 10
Template:Full party name with color File:CPI-banner.svg File:CPI symbol.svg 9
Template:Full party name with color Jayanta Rongpi 5
Template:Full party name with color File:Indian Election Symbol Boat.png Kalipada Sen 3
Total 122

Result

Template:Election results

Elected members

Constituency Reserved for
(SC/ST/None) 		Member Party
Ratabari SC Sambhusing Mallah Template:Full party name with color
Patharkandi None Sukhendu Shekhar Dutta Template:Full party name with color
Karimganj North None Sirajul Haque Choudhury Template:Full party name with color
Karimganj South None Abdul Muqtadir Choudhury Template:Full party name with color
Badarpur None Abu Saleh Najmuddin Template:Full party name with color
Hailakandi None Abdul Muhib Majumder Template:Full party name with color
Katlicherra None Gautam Roy Template:Full party name with color
Algapur None Sahidul Alam Choudhury Template:Full party name with color
Silchar None Bimalangshu Roy Template:Full party name with color
Sonai None Anwar Hussain Laskar Template:Full party name with color
Dholai SC Girindra Mallik Template:Full party name with color
Udharbond None Jagannath Sinha Template:Full party name with color
Lakhipur None Dinesh Prosad Goala Template:Full party name with color
Barkhola None Misbahul Islam Laskar Template:Full party name with color
Katigora None Kali Ranjan Deb Template:Full party name with color
Haflong ST Samarjit Haflongbar Template:Full party name with color
Bokajan ST Jagat Sing Engti Template:Full party name with color
Howraghat ST Chandra Kanta Terang Template:Full party name with color
Diphu ST Hemsing Tisso Template:Full party name with color
Baithalangso ST Holiram Terang Template:Full party name with color
Mankachar None Aminul Islam Template:Full party name with color
Salmara South None Wazed Ali Choudhury Template:Full party name with color
Dhubri None Nazibul Umar Template:Full party name with color
Gauripur None Banendra Kumar Mushahary Template:Full party name with color
Golakganj None Alauddin Sarkar Template:Full party name with color
Bilasipara West None Ali Akbar Miah Template:Full party name with color
Bilasipara East None Prasanta Kumar Barua Template:Full party name with color
Gossaigaon None Rajendra Mushahary Template:Full party name with color
Kokrajhar West ST Hemendra Nath Brahma Template:Full party name with color
Kokrajhar East ST Pramila Rani Brahma Template:Full party name with color
Sidli ST Andrias Hajoary Template:Full party name with color
Bongaigaon None Phani Bhusan Choudhury Template:Full party name with color
Bijni None Mohini Basumatary Template:Full party name with color
Abhayapuri North None Bhupen Ch. Ray Template:Full party name with color
Abhayapuri South SC Rabin Banikya Template:Full party name with color
Dudhnai ST Akan Rabha Template:Full party name with color
Goalpara East None Jyotish Das Template:Full party name with color
Goalpara West None Abu Bakkar Siddique Jotdar Template:Full party name with color
Jaleswar None Afzalur Rahman Template:Full party name with color
Sorbhog None Hemen Das Template:Full party name with color
Bhabanipur None Surendra Nath Medhi Template:Full party name with color
Patacharkuchi None Mohan Das Template:Full party name with color
Barpeta None Ismail Hussain Template:Full party name with color
Jania None Abdur Rouf Template:Full party name with color
Baghbar None Sheikh Abdul Hamid Template:Full party name with color
Sarukhetri None Nizamuddin Khan Template:Full party name with color
Chenga None Sukur Ali Template:Full party name with color
Boko SC Jyoti Prasad Das Template:Full party name with color
Chaygaon None Kamala Kanta Kalita Template:Full party name with color
Palasbari None Jatin Mali Template:Full party name with color
Jalukbari None Bhrigu Kumar Phukan Template:Full party name with color
Gauhati East None Biraj Kumar Sarma Template:Full party name with color
Gauhati West None Ramendra Narayan Kalita Template:Full party name with color
Hajo None Nurul Hussain Template:Full party name with color
Kamalpur None Maidul Islam Bora Template:Full party name with color
Rangiya None Thaneswar Boro Template:Full party name with color
Tamulpur None Derhagra Mochahari Template:Full party name with color
Nalbari None Nagen Sarma Template:Full party name with color
Barkhetry None Pulakesh Barua Template:Full party name with color
Dharmapur None Chandra Mohan Patowary Template:Full party name with color
Barama ST Rekha Rani Das Boro Template:Full party name with color
Chapaguri ST Jagmohan Basmatary Template:Full party name with color
Panery None Kumud Chandra Das Template:Full party name with color
Kalaigaon None Mahendra Mohan Rai Choudhury Template:Full party name with color
Sipajhar None Zoii Nath Sarmah Template:Full party name with color
Mangaldoi SC Hiren Kumar Das Template:Full party name with color
Dalgaon None Abdul Jabbar Template:Full party name with color
Udalguri ST Deva Kanta Ramchiary Template:Full party name with color
Majbat None Silvius Condpan Template:Full party name with color
Dhekiajuli None Joseph Toppo Template:Full party name with color
Barchalla None Prafulla Goswami Template:Full party name with color
Tezpur None Brindabon Goswami Template:Full party name with color
Rangapara None Bhimananda Tanti Template:Full party name with color
Sootea None Padma Hazarika Template:Full party name with color
Biswanath None Prabin Hazarika Template:Full party name with color
Behali None Barnabash Tanti Template:Full party name with color
Gohpur None Ganesh Kutum Template:Full party name with color
Jagiroad SC Bubul Das Template:Full party name with color
Marigaon None Munin Mahanta Template:Full party name with color
Laharighat None Nazrul Islam Template:Full party name with color
Raha SC Gahin Ch. Das Template:Full party name with color
Dhing None Mustafa Shahidul Islam Template:Full party name with color
Batadroba None Digen Chandra Borah Template:Full party name with color
Rupohihat None Rashidul Haque Template:Full party name with color
Nowgong None Prafulla Kumar Mahanta Template:Full party name with color
Barhampur None Prafulla Kumar Mahanta Template:Full party name with color
Samaguri None Atul Kumar Sharma Template:Full party name with color
Kaliabor None Gunin Hazarika Template:Full party name with color
Jamunamukh None Khalilur Rahman Chowdhury Template:Full party name with color
Hojai None Ardhendu Kumar Dey Template:Full party name with color
Lumding None Hazi Abdur Rouf Template:Full party name with color
Bokakhat None Bhupendra Nath Bhuyan Template:Full party name with color
Sarupathar None Binod Gowala Template:Full party name with color
Golaghat None Atul Bora Template:Full party name with color
Khumtai None Probin Gogoi Template:Full party name with color
Jorhat None Hitendranath Goswami Template:Full party name with color
Majuli ST Karuna Dutta Template:Full party name with color
Titabar None Hemanta Kalita Template:Full party name with color
Mariani None Rupam Kurmi Template:Full party name with color
Teok None Renupoma Rajkhowa Template:Full party name with color
Amguri None Pradip Hazarika Template:Full party name with color
Mahmara None Hiranya Kumar Konwar Template:Full party name with color
Sonari None Sarat Borkataky Template:Full party name with color
Thowra None Debananda Konwar Template:Full party name with color
Sibsagar None Promode Gogoi Template:Full party name with color
Bihpuria None Kesharam Bora Template:Full party name with color
Naoboicha None Mani Kr. Subba Template:Full party name with color
Lakhimpur None Utpal Dutta Template:Full party name with color
Dhakuakhana ST Bharat Chandra Narah Template:Full party name with color
Dhemaji ST Dilip Kumar Saikia Template:Full party name with color
Jonai ST Pradan Boruah Template:Full party name with color
Moran None Joy Chandra Nagbanshi Template:Full party name with color
Dibrugarh None Kalyan Kumar Gogoi Template:Full party name with color
Lahowal None Prithibi Majhi Template:Full party name with color
Duliajan None Amiya Gogoi Template:Full party name with color
Tingkhong None Atuwa Munda Template:Full party name with color
Naharkatia None Pranati Phukan Template:Full party name with color
Chabua None Bhaben Baruah Template:Full party name with color
Tinsukia None Sudhangshu Coomer De Sirkar Template:Full party name with color
Digboi None Rameswar Dhanowar Template:Full party name with color
Doom Dooma None Dileswar Tanti Template:Full party name with color
Sadiya None Jogdish Bhuyan Template:Full party name with color

Aftermath

On 6 May 1996, the Minister for Rural Development, and candidate for the Golaghat Assembly constituency, Nagen Neog was killed, by suspected terrorists. Along with him, 8 other people, including his driver, and 5 bodyguards, also died.[12]

Bye-elections

Date Constituency Winner Party
11 November 1996 Dispur Atul Bora[13] Template:Full party name with color
NowgongTemplate:Efn Girindra Kumar Baruah[14]
Dergaon Sushila Hazarika[15]
Nazira Hemprove Saikia[16] Template:Full party name with color
Margherita Tarun Gogoi[17]

Template:Noteslist

See also

References

  1. ↑ Former CM Prafulla Mahanta not to contest Assam polls(9 March 2021). Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  2. ↑ Assam Legislative Assembly - Chief Ministers since 1937. Assam Legislative Assembly. Retrieved 13 May 2006.
  3. ↑ DPACO (1976) - Archive Delimitation Orders. Election Commission of India. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  4. ↑ https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19911015-various-army-operations-launched-against-ulfa-814916-1991-10-14
  5. ↑ George, Sudhir Jacob. “The Bodo Movement in Assam: Unrest to Accord.” Asian Survey, vol. 34, no. 10, 1994. pp. 878–92. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2644967. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
  6. ↑ Assamese Response to Regionalism: A Study Based on Electoral Politics{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Mittal Publications(2009). ISBN 9788183242813
  7. ↑ https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19960531-fragile-victory-753113-1996-05-30
  8. ↑ https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19960531-elections-1996-agp-bounces-back-to-defeat-a-weak-congress-in-assam-832980-1996-05-30
  9. ↑ https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19960430-elections-1996-assam-seems-headed-for-a-hung-assembly-835101-1996-04-29
  10. ↑ Election Politics in Assam: Issues, Trends, and People's Mandate{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Akansha Publishing House(2006). ISBN 978-8183700573
  11. ↑ India Votes, Elections 1996: A Critical Analysis{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Deep & Deep Publications(1996). ISBN 9788171009008
  12. ↑ Rebels kill Assam leader in ambush. New Straits Times(8 May 1996). Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  13. ↑ BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 52 Dispur. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  14. ↑ BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 86 Nagaon. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  15. ↑ BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 97 Dergaon (SC). Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  16. ↑ BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 104 - Nazira. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  17. ↑ BYE - ELECTION, 1996 - Legislative Assembly of Assam - Assembly constituency - 124 Margherita. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 4 July 2022.

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