New Delhi/Guwahati, June 22 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday asserted that the eastern and northeastern regions of the country would play a decisive role in the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is poised to secure a record number of seats from these areas.

Speaking at the Republic Media Summit in the national capital, Chief Minister Sarma said the BJP’s growing political footprint in eastern and northeastern India would significantly contribute to the party’s prospects in the next general elections.

“The eastern and northeastern states will deliver a decisive number of seats in the upcoming 2029 general elections. The BJP will win a record number of seats from these regions, and this part of India will play a crucial role in ensuring the party’s victory,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that the eastern and northeastern states are increasingly coming together politically and economically, creating a new growth and development corridor in the country.

“Today, the entire eastern and northeastern region is coming together. We are integrating politically and economically, and this emerging unity will have a significant impact on India’s future,” CM Sarma added.

The Northeast accounts for 25 Lok Sabha seats across eight states, while eastern India — comprising West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Jharkhand — sends around 117 members to the Lok Sabha.

Together, the two regions account for approximately 142 seats in the 543-member House, making them a key electoral battleground for national parties.

The BJP has steadily expanded its influence in the Northeast over the past decade and is currently part of ruling alliances in most states in the region.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA secured a majority of seats in the Northeast, while the BJP retained its dominance in Assam.

CM Sarma’s remarks also come amid the BJP’s efforts to strengthen its organisational presence in West Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly polls, the BJP emerged as the principal opposition party after winning 77 seats, a sharp rise from its tally of three seats in 2016.

The eastern and northeastern regions are viewed as crucial to the BJP’s long-term electoral strategy as the party seeks to consolidate its support base ahead of the 2029 parliamentary elections.

–IANS

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