All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) leader Sushmita Dev said on March 22, 2026, that the party will contest 23 seats in the upcoming Assam Assembly elections under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, stressing broad regional and community representation across the state. Dev told reporters that candidates have been fielded in Barak Valley, Upper Assam, Lower Assam, Middle Assam and the Bodoland region to reflect Assam’s social diversity.
“We have given tickets to people of every caste, community, and language,” Dev said, adding that the move was intended to signal that the party stands “with people of every caste, religion, and language.” The AITC’s selection, she said, was aimed at presenting a cross-section of Assam rather than concentrating on any single area or group.
Acknowledging the party’s limited reach in Assam, Dev said the AITC does not expect to form the government on its own but intends to play a constructive role by focusing on a compact agenda of five to ten key issues. She identified problems linked to smart meters, erosion, rising electricity costs and the need for industrialisation in the Barak Valley as priorities the party will raise in the campaign.
Dev said the party’s success will be measured not only in seat counts but in its ability to bring attention to these issues. “Whether we get one MLA, ten MLAs, or fifteen MLAs, these issues will form our common minimum programme,” she said, emphasising that the AITC aims to elect representatives who will work on the ground rather than pursue leadership positions.
On prospects, Dev expressed cautious optimism, saying the party has “very strong candidates in about ten to fifteen seats” while noting that “elections are dynamic” and outcomes can change. Polling for all 126 Assam Assembly constituencies is scheduled in a single phase on April 9, 2026, with counting set for May 4, 2026, the Election Commission of India has said.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/assam/story/tmc-to-field-candidates-on-23-assam-seats-under-mamata-banerjees-leadership-sushmita-dev-1363759-2026-03-23?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-03-23 08:58:00
