"New Delhi needs to keep thing stable" :::: Former Indian Army commander Lt Gen Arun Kumar Sahni (Retd) is one of the international observers for Myanmar polls : Panels have representatives from China, Russia and Vietnam too

Timely strategic move by India !!  

Former Indian Army commander Lt Gen Arun Kumar Sahni (Retd), who also served in north east, is one of the international observers for Myanmar polls.

The crucial international Panels also have representatives from China, Russia and Vietnam

As the 2025 Multiparty Democratic General Election gets underway ... international election observation teams from Russia, China, India, and Vietnam arrived in Yangon. 

International election observers include Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Kara-ool Sholban, 

Special Envoy for Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China Deng Xijun, 

** - former Army Commander of India Lt Gen Arun Kumar Sahni, 

-- a delegation led by Deputy Chairman of the Commission of Kazakhstan Yerman Mukhtar, 

- a delegation led by National Election Committee (NEC) member Yich Samethy, and Nguyen Duc Thinh from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.   

The visiting teams were welcomed at Yangon International Airport by Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein and regional ministers, Russian Ambassador to Myanmar Iskander Azizov and embassy officials, the Union Election Commission member in charge of the Yangon Region, and officials from the Union Election Commission and the Yangon Region Election Sub-commission.  

Analysts say New Delhi might have taken a far-reaching decision vis-a-vis India's crucial eastern neighbour -- which was underestimated and ignored over the decades in the past.

But India's newly christened Act East Policy has a different perspective and has a key role for Myanmar.

One informed source in the know of things say -- "We have to keep the right balance. We can't be any longer lecturing a country about democracy and be guided by western lobbies on who shall rule Myanmar".

In India's own national interests; keeping a close ties with Myanmar irrespective of who so ever is in power is vital. "I call it a balanced strategy ... we have to affirm the election results .... otherwise Myanmar as a neighbouring country may slide towards certain forces which may not be strategically good".

Another observer was more candid stating - "While western and northern fronts of India are mostly in news .... we also have a troublesome eastern neighbour in Bangladesh. At least on this far-east and north east; New Delhi needs to keep thing stable".

Lt Gen Sahni (retd) commanded units in challenging areas, including a Self-Propelled Regiment in deserts, a Mountain Artillery Brigade in North East counter-insurgency including Nagaland and an Independent Infantry Brigade in J&K.

He also served as GOC-in-C (Army Commander), Director General Information Technology, and Principal Staff Officer at Army HQ.

  

ends 

China backs Myanmar polls; West call it sham :::: Junta stages election after five years of civil war

Former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains jailed, while her hugely popular party has been dissolved and was not taking part.

Myanmar junta chief says election is 'free and fair'  

A trickle of voters made their way to Myanmar's heavily restricted polls on Sunday, with the ruling junta touting the exercise as a return to democracy five years after it ousted the last elected government, triggering civil war.  

Myanmar's junta leader Min Aung Hlaing said Sunday the country's elections are "free and fair", despite being run by the military which seized power in a coup five years ago.

"We guarantee it to be a free and fair election," he told reporters after casting his ballot in the capital Naypyidaw. "Its reputation is not tarnished because it's being held by the military."  

Campaigners, Western diplomats and the UN's rights chief have all condemned the phased month-long vote, citing a ballot stacked with military allies and a stark crackdown on dissent.

The pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party is widely expected to emerge as the largest one, in what critics say would be a rebranding of martial rule. 

Within days of the announcement, Burma’s military intelligence service—which is more of a secret police force—launched a massive campaign against elected NLD MPs. By the end of the year, 65 had been arrested, nearly a dozen had fled to neighboring Thailand and India, and many resigned voluntarily.  

Myanmar 1990 : People cast their vote 

The first of three rounds of voting taking place on Dec 28th. 

More than 100 townships, including the commercial capital of Yangon, will vote in this first phase of the elections, followed by another 100 in the second phase on Jan 11, 2026. 

The third round of voting will take place on Jan 25.  

ends 

".... power of organisation .... Jai Siya Ram" -- One post and an 'old BJP snap' tarnished Congress party's mega corrective measures meet of 2025 ::: Writing is crystal clear on the wall ---- Rahul's former Guru Digvijaya feels sidelined !!

" I write entirely to find out what I am thinking, what I am looking at, what I see and what it means"-- 

- American author Joan Didion 

Is it out of place to quote a writer when we talk about a politician? - Just apply the statement in the context of Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh and replace the word 'write' with "Say or Do" -- and things would fall in their place. 

What made Digvijaya Singh, a former Guru of Rahul Gandhi, take such a stance vis-a-vis organisational lapses of the Congress party especially in a contrast situation to the BJP and the ideological and the manpower backing of the RSS.

 

Modi sitting on floor in front of Advani : Throwback image 

Around 2009 and even later - during UPA-2 - Digvijaya Singh kept guiding Rahul Gandhi. That the fallout was 'misguidance' is altogether a different chapter. 

But he had the clout and the liberty. He showed the rare audacity of Muslim appeasing when he addressed a dreaded terrorist as 'Osama ji'. There was no corrective step from India's grand old party. It was the same period - Sickularism and racketeers ruled the roost.

There were multiple scams - including the hosting of Commonwealth Games. It was the era when PM Manmohan Singh had said the minorities have the first claim to the 'national resources' of India.

It was the era and the Digvijaya Singh was the chief brain - that pushed the distorted theorem of Saffron Terror. It was the period (UPA-I) when one Shankaracharya was arrested on the eve of Diwali.

It was the period, there was an official affidavit that Ram was a 'myth'. It was the period when Muslims realised their power of influence and side by side there were Christians pretending to enjoy the Tamasha. 

Did Christians ever say arresting Shankaracharya on the eve of Diwali was wrong? 

It was a India - that created and pushed a normal-moderate Hindu to become 'radical' and that in the ultimate led to the vote-getting powerful machine called Narendra Modi. 

  

But the issue in debate in Digvijaya Singh and he has raked up the issue of BJP's organisational strength verses the weakness of Congress party. 

The former Madhya Pradesh CM shared an old photo of PM Marendra Modi from the 1990s when he was just a normal karyakarta (party worker). 

In the throwback image, a young Modi is seen sitting on the floor near BJP patriarch L K Advani, who is seated on a chair. The picture, which Singh called "impactful", was from an event in Gujarat.  

"I found this picture on Quora. It is very impactful. How an RSS grassroots Swayamsevak and a Jana Sangh/BJP worker, who once sat on the floor at the feet of leaders, went on to become the Chief Minister of a state and the Prime Minister of the country. 

This is the power of the organisation. Jai Siya Ram," the Rajya Sabha MP tweeted.  

"Will Rahul Gandhi show courage and react to the shocking 'truth bomb' dropped by Digvijaya Singh, which has totally exposed how Congress's first family ruthlessly runs the party in a dictatorial manner and also how autocratic and undemocratic this Congress leadership is?" BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan tweeted.

As his remarks snowballed into a political controversy, Digvijaya Singh clarified that he remained firmly opposed to the ideology of the RSS, and his praise was limited strictly to its organisational strength. 

Digvijaya Singh in the past made unceremonious remarks against the then CAG Vinod Rai. 

In 2011 - he had stoked a controversy with his claim that Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare had called him on the day of the Mumbai terror strikes (Nov 26/2008) saying that he feared for his safety from Hindu extremists. 

The Congress leader said the ATS chief rang him up at 17.44 hours and the conversation continued for more than six minutes. 

Hours later, Karkare was killed in the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

However, Hemant Karkare's wife wife Mrs Kavita Karkare on Jan 31, 2011 had said --  

"Terrorists killed my husband, not any group, and this is a truth that cannot be challenged.''

But now the bigger issue why Digvijaya Singh had to release such a controversial snap and expose Congress 'organisational weakness'. 

In fact - more than the 'organisational' weakness of strengths; Digvijaya Singh is showing -- how a junior respects senior leaders in the BJP or in the RSS.

Why say so ?

The coterie politics has taken over Congress party full steam.

Rahul is surrounded by a group of young people and who continue to show disrespect to senior and seasoned leaders. In 2016; after Assam elections; Himanta Biswa Sarma said while he had to Rahul to discuss politics; the Congress chief was busy feeding biscuits to his dogs. 

A number of other key leaders including the likes of Jyotiraditya Scindia have also quit Congress. 

After Bihar polls in November 2025; a prominent Muslim face from the state Shakeel Ahmed (a former Union Minister) also quit and he too blamed Rahul Gandhi for his exit.

There are talks about efforts being made by anther set of coterie-people to give bigger role to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Should she become new Congress president as Rahul is already the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha ?

Priyanka's coterie reportedly is also young people and they also generally wish to brush aside party veterans. So it is possible, Digvijaya Singh had only flagged off a tussle between old timers and the younger leaders in the party.

A reference to these subtle games have been made by Late Ahmed Patel's daughter Mumtaz Patel. 

"We cannot function the way we did 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago. We are facing a different India," Mumtaz Patel said.  

".. It is failure after failure due to power concentrated in the hands of a few who are totally disconnected with ground reality and are responsible for the misery and rout of the grand old party time and again... these same people will be rewarded again and again".

Thus - real pressure has been mounting on Rahul Gandhi.

According to rough estimates; he has lost over 90 local, state and parliamentary elections in last 10-12 years.  

Moreover after 45-year-old Nitin Nabin was made BJP's working president and is set to take over as new national president; the Congress leaders' description of Rahul as a youth leader now sounds like a joke. 

Born in 1970; Rahul is 55 plus. 

Snap by Sanjeev Rastogi

On the other hand; Saharanpur MP, Imran Masood (known for being part of Priyanka's coterie) recently said ---

"Is Priyanka Gandhi the Prime Minister? Make her the prime minister and see how she responds, just like Indira Gandhi did. She is Priyanka Gandhi, a Gandhi by name, the granddaughter of Indira Gandhi, who dealt Pakistan such a blow that its scars remain even today. 

Make her the prime minister and see the retaliation. You would not dare to do that". 

Needless to add; such remarks caused a stir in the Congress, which has been going out of the way since 2013 projecting Rahul Gandhi as the face taking on BJP's Narendra Modi. 

ends 

"Religion is bigger to Bangladeshis ... Our Hindu religion embraces everyone" -- says Himanta .... ::: In a crucial pre-poll messaging he envisions a Civilizational Batle -- It's a 'winner' as of now - Assam CM also says -- "For us, every election is a civilizational fight"

How Bangladesh crisis has come as a God-sent mega political opportunity for Himanta Biswa Sarma ? 

It's like redefining the good old Holy War. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma now calls it a 'civilizational battle'.  

"To them (people in Bangladesh); ... is the country bigger or is religion? 

Religion is bigger to them … Today, when we see Dipu Das’s condition in Bangladesh, then everyone is clearly able to see what situation the Assamese will have to face 20 years later,” BJP's arguably the 'best known leader' in the north east has brought back the debate over 'existential crisis' of Assamese people and also all other Hindus back to the fore. This means a political master stroke on the eve of elections. 

It also means perhaps the ongoing developments in Bangladesh will help the Lotus party sail home and in this summer the Congress party will have another 'excuse' to look for a possible disastrous performance - the problems of Dhaka.

It may appear like 'Vote chori (or even snatching)'. This issue will also mean possibly - Himanta has snatched the win from the jaws of defeat. 

Himanta is playing all to the galleries and has far done it bravely in terms of taking a calculated risk.

“Someone can say that we can co-exist. But our religion embraces everyone. The recent incidents in Bangladesh tell us all clearly that they (people in Bangladesh) believe in exclusiveness…," Himanta said in presence of BJP's future national president Nitin Nabin. 

Playing it near perfection .... he has given a major hint that the Lotus party should use the 'crisis and chaos in Bangladesh' to upset the Trinamool Congress applecart in West Bengal. 

If Himanta strategies go down well in Assam; they have to work in West Bengal too and hence in all likelihood - the 'Muslim appeasing' Mamata Banerjee will have to find ways to prove her Hindu credentials and even display her Gotra and take to 'wheel chair' as she did it all in her desperation in 2021. 

Chief Minister Himanta has framed the upcoming Assam election as a “civilisational fight” at the BJP Assam’s State Executive Meeting.

He waxed eloquently -  “The BJP government’s goal is development, but existence is as important. Our politics is development, and along with that it is preserving the identity… 

Today, if you look at our state, two civilisations will be seen in front of us. One civilisation is a 5,000-year-old civilisation. 

A Sanatan civilisation which gives acceptance to all kinds of prayers… Our is an inclusive civilisation… But in our state, because of the Congress’s weakness and its appeasement politics, gradually another civilisation was created… 

In the 2011 census, in Assam, the Hindu and Muslim breakup shows 34% Muslims. If we don’t consider 3% Assamese Muslims, Muslims from Bangladesh who have settled here at different times were 31%. 

In every census, there is a 4% increase… In the 2027 Census, in Assam, Bangladeshi-origin Miya Muslims will be near 40%,” he said.

The polls are due in Assam along with West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala by March-April next year.

Nitin Nabin's presence added another dimension to the political strategies as lately Bihari Hindus are at a confrontation stage with native tribals in the Karbi Anglong region. Nitin is a sitting BJP legislator. 

Key BJP leaders national Vice President Baijayant Jay Panda - in charge of Assam and also BJP general secretary (Organisation) B L Santhosh also attended.

Sarma - of course - also spoke about developmental activities undertaken in the state during his tenure and the reach of the state government’s beneficiary schemes.

Himanta cleverly invoked the unrest in Bangladesh and the lynching of Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das and has tried to give a mega spin to the electoral battle debates.

Till a few months back; Himanta was on defensive for multiple reasons. The state is rich in coal, oil and tea and yet there is an overwhelming number of unemployed people.

A few months back; he applied other tricks including quota issues for some tribal communities. He also released some old government reports that showed how Congress was responsible for several problems in the state and perhaps also the infamous massacre of Muslims in Nelly region in the 1980s.  

And now Bangladesh crises.

Himanta went on to question the loyalties of Bengali-origin Muslims (Miyas) in the light of tensions between India and Bangladesh. 

“There is a lot of discussion on the ‘Chicken Neck’ (corridor connecting Assam to the ‘mainland’). Who is on two sides of the Chicken Neck? Not Hindu people. 

They are the people who have come from Bangladesh and have settled. When they came is irrelevant. 

Tomorrow, if there is a war between India and Bangladesh, who will these people stand with? Where is the loyalty of these people? Their uncles and grandfathers are still in Bangladesh,” he said.

These are calculated rhetoric no doubts but in all likelihood these will have resonance with the local people -- because it is they who have suffered the most due to continued Congress support for Rohingyas and Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators. 

He also made a call to unite against “divisions among us”, hinting at the recent tensions in Karbi Anglong between local Karbi tribals and Bihari Hindus who have settled there. 

“Till as long as we are alive, for us, every election is a civilizational fight, a fight with the resolve to keep the jati alive,” he said.

Is Karma real ? --- Karma operates for individuals, society and groups ... How does the scientific principles of cause and effect work ??

Can Man/woman ever emerge masters of their own fate ? 

There is an eternal debate and one perhaps thinks about these more as we come to the end of a calendar year - 2025 ... and the year also marks the end of the first century of the new 21st century. 

The core perception/idea of personal responsibility and the ethical law of cause and effect remains a powerful guide for navigating life. 

It's ethical and often bordering on being practical even as the perceived 'metaphysical' aspects of Karma, such as literal rebirth, may not be universally accepted in a scientifically-focused era. 

The Wrong one will find you in peace and leave you in pieces; and the Right will find you in pieces and leave you to peace", says the Karma lesson. 

&&&

Never was any generation of men/women intent upon the pursuit of well-being more advantageously placed to attain it -- but the human world has taken only the opposite course. Is this guided by the essential philosophy - what is created will ought to be destroyed ?

The Hindu teachings say -- Do not regret; what is being 'destroyed' is only PHYSICAL. 

“Only dead fish swim with the stream”.  

― Malcolm Muggeridge 

Take a break and try to look at things in a different manner ....  

The moot point often we discuss as human beings is that -- A society, a nation's or even an individual's life is actually predetermined.  

Otherwise ... we call that Luck etc ... 

L K Advani was the most promising Indian politician - who came from Pakistan following partition. He will go down the memory lane as the best Indian Prime Minister; we never had.  

That's Karma, Fate etc etc for you  --- 

Look on the other side - two almost boring politicians - I K Gujral and Manmohan Singh could become the Prime Minister of world's largest democracy.  Again both got the post -- by chance .... 

Manmohan Singh was called 'the accidental prime minister'. So was Gujral and for that matter even H D Devw Gowda.  If Sonia played the Santa Claus in the life of Manmohan Singh - chiefly for his 'yes madam' virtue ... in the case of Deve Gowda - it was Harkishen Singh Surjeet. 

But people should not forget Prakash Karat. In the summer of 1996 - it was he who forced CPI-M polit bureau to vote against Jyoti Basu becoming India's Prime Minister.  

Karma ... impact ??

Like Advani; Basu too was destined to be denied the historic opportunity. 

In Bangla, they say - Janma, Mrityu and Vivah ---

Birth, Death and Wedding are not in your hands.  

Cultural & Religious Beliefs

Hinduism: 

Marriage (Vivah) is a sacred union across lifetimes, helping souls progress, so pairings are seen as preordained.

(Saath Janma .... ka khel - a mysterious game of as many as seven lives )

Judaism: 

The Zohar teaches that husband and wife are one soul separated by birth, reunited in marriage, implying a heavenly match.

Christianity: 

Genesis describes marriage as God's design for a "one flesh" union, a divine creation.   

A report by the World Popular Review reads, 

-- 'According to data from the United Nations and other sources, the country with the highest divorce rate in the world in 2020 was the Maldives, which recorded 2984 divorces against a population of 540,544, resulting in a divorce rate of 5.52 per 1000 people. 

This is actually a notable step down from the country's widely publicized rate of 10.97 in 2002, which earned the country a Guinness World Record.'  

Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) in 2024 suggests that more Indians are getting divorced than they were in at least seven years back.  

Divorce in India rose from 0.3 percent in 2017-18 to 0.5 percent in 2023-24. Among the women 0.7 percent were divorced in 2024-25;  compared with 0.6 percent seven years back. 

So; are these statistics also linked to 'fate' and issues related to Karma ?

'Happy is the man who finds a true friend, and far happier is he who finds that true friend in his wife.” – Franz Schub  

Views suggesting predestination about 'Death'

Hinduism/Buddhism: Death's timing is linked to past karma (actions) and the soul's journey, with present actions shaping future lives.

Islam: Allah's will dictates the exact time and place of death, determined even before birth.

Christianity: God has numbered our days, making the time of death part of His divine plan, though life choices matter.

Spiritual Science: 

The soul is eternal, but the body's lifespan (death) is predetermined by past causes, yet the soul's journey continues. 

ends 

Myanmar 2025 .... What kind of stepping stone to circa 2026 and beyond ??? ::::: Long condemned for committing war crimes the country is no longer an 'outcast' !!!

Myanmar is set for elections. 

“The election is being conducted for the people of Myanmar, not for the international community,” said the junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun. “Whether the international community is satisfied or not, is irrelevant.”

The year 2025 would be remembered in multiple manner in international polity ... but the manner Myanmar's 'military leader' Min Aung Hlaing rushed in China and hurried to greet North Korea’s Kim Jong Un was certainly a telling moment. 

This symbolized Myanmar’s leap into a special club -- one may say the 'authoritarian apprentice'.   

China, Russia and even Belarus became Myanmar's primary political patrons. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization in China showcased a new alignment.

Min Aung Hlaing appeared alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and also Russian President Vladimir Putin.  

But what were the traditional champions of Democracy - the west including the US doing ?

The three-phase polls in Myanmar -- the first round slated on Dec 28 is billed as the first openly contested polls in 25 years.

In total there are a staggeringly high 6,000 candidates. There are special features and a few peculiarities attached to these polls. 

The rise in Buddhist-led nationalism has seen an increase in anti-Muslim polity. Even the two main political parties - government-backed party Union of Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and the opposition NLD, led by Aung San Suu Kyi - are not fielding any Muslim candidates.

Most of the handful of Muslims who are running in the election come from the United National Congress, which is calling for the end of discrimination against Muslims.  

Out of the dozens of political parties jostling for power, one stands out for being entirely female - the appropriately named Women's Party (Mon).

The group of women, based in the Mon state, say they are campaigning for gender equality and the rights of all women across Myanmar, also known as Burma.

Recently formed, the party does not have an official headquarters and is using a private house, according to Channel News Asia. 

(It may be added that in Nagaland - there is a Mon district and it is considered development-starved region and hub of Konyak tribe.)

One argument that is well understood is that with wars intensifying in Europe and the Middle East; for the western virtuous world; Myanmar’s struggle for freedom and chaos it is in has slipped down the priority list.  

"Today, Myanmar stands isolated—not friendless, but surrounded by the wrong friends. It has become a proxy state of authoritarian regimes," says an article in www.irrawaddy.com.   

Regime leader Min Aung Hlaing must feel that 2025 has been his best year yet since seizing power in a coup in 2021. Long condemned for committing war crimes including massacres and indiscriminate airstrikes against his own people, he is no longer an international outcast, thanks to China and Russia, 

Candidates Highlights :  

One of the youngest candidates to contest the election, in one of the most uneven battles, is 26-year-old Ko Thurein Shwe of the National Unity Party. He is taking on one of the country's most powerful political figures, Vice-President U Nyan Tun.  

*** 

One of the oldest candidates is Pu Chin Sian Thang. 

At 77-years-old Pu Chin Sian Thang is a well-known ethnic politician from the Zomi ethnic group. 

Does something sound familiar ? Kuki-Zo (or Zomi) are critically large, scattered and powerful ethnic group(s) in India ... with overwhelming presence in Manipur and Mizoram.  

The chairman of the Zomi Congress for Democracy, running in a remote and mountainous area of Chin state, Pu Chin Sian Thang is one of the few candidates who will not find himself up against the NLD of Suu Kyi.

The NLD, which has been criticised for running against ethnic parties in almost all the ethnic areas, is reportedly honouring a long standing agreement with Pu Chin Sian Thang by agreeing not to run against him.  

Truth and Violence:

The armed conflicts have intensified over the past year. 

** From January 1, 20025 to Nov 28 -- military air and drone strikes increased by about 30% compared to 2024 data.

** Infrastructure such as schools and medical facilities have been hit in near-daily strikes. 

*** Lately, many people killed in a military strike on a hospital in Rakhine state, which is mostly controlled by the Arakan Army -- a strong opponent of the junta in power.  

Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, which won a landslide victory in the 2020 election, was dissolved after it refused to comply with a demand to register with the junta-backed Union Election Commission. 

Dozens of ethnic parties were also dissolved. According to election monitoring group Anfrel, 57% of the parties that ran in the 2020 general election no longer exist.

This despite that they all had polled more than 70% of votes and 90% of seats.

ends 

Assam News :::: Centre to appoint interlocutor on Constitutional status demand of Rabha, Mising, Tiwa communities :: BJP working president Nitin Nabin visits Assam

 The Union Home Ministry to appoint interlocutor on constitutional status demand of Rabha, Mising, Tiwa

The assurance came after the Home Minister met delegations of the Rabha, Mising and Tiwa communities in New Delhi in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Assam Minister Ranoj Pegu was also present. The move is being seen as a significant step towards addressing the constitutional aspirations of the three indigenous groups. Welcoming the decision, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed gratitude to the Union Home Minister, calling the assurance “deeply reassuring and heart-warming.”  

For his part, the Home Minister said he had listened to the concerns raised by community representatives and assured them that their demands would be addressed. 

“The Ministry of Home Affairs will soon appoint a senior official to work towards an amicable and lasting solution,” Shah said.

The demand for constitutional status has been a long-pending issue for the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council, Mising Autonomous Council and Tiwa Autonomous Council, which are currently statutory bodies constituted by the Assam government.

BJP steps up Assam poll strategy as party;s newly appointed working president Nitin Nabin attends state executive meet 

Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia said the party has set a target of securing over one crore votes in the 2026 Assembly elections

Addressing party workers, Nabin recalled his association with Assam since 2009, when he visited the state as a BJP Yuva Morcha leader. 

He said the BJP’s focus on the Northeast dates back to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who believed the region’s development was essential for national progress. 

Nabin, who is likely to take over as BJP national president by Feb 2026,  criticised Congress, alleging that during its rule land rights were compromised and central funds failed to reach beneficiaries. 

Within weeks of Nabin taking the charge -- he will lead the saffron outfit for polls in key states such as Assam (now under BJP), West Bengal (under Trinamool), Tamil Nadu (under DMK) and Kerala (under CPI-M led LDF).