Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Assam for a two-day visit, marking his second trip to the state in less than a month, ahead of the 2026 assembly elections. The visit underscores the state's importance in the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) electoral strategy.
On January 17th, the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend "Bagurumba Dwhou 2026," a Bodo cultural program at Sarusajai Stadium in Guwahati. Over 10,000 Bodo artists from 81 assembly constituencies across 23 districts are expected to participate, performing the traditional Bagurumba dance. This event is designed as a cultural outreach to tribal and ethnic communities, whose support is considered crucial in Assam's electoral landscape.
On January 18th, the Prime Minister will perform the 'bhoomi pujan' for the Kaziranga Elevated Corridor project in Kaliabor, Nagaon district. This ₹6,950-crore project involves the four-laning of the Kaliabor-Numaligarh section of NH-715. A key feature is a 35-km elevated wildlife corridor through Kaziranga National Park. The project also includes a 21-km bypass and the widening of 30 km of the existing highway. The Kaziranga corridor aims to improve connectivity to Upper Assam while ensuring uninterrupted movement of wildlife and reducing human-animal conflict. The 86 km long Kaziranga corridor is an environmentally conscious National Highway project.
During the program, the Prime Minister will virtually flag off the Kamakhya–Rohtak and the Dibrugarh–Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) Amrit Bharat Express trains, strengthening northeast–north India rail connectivity.
Earlier on January 17th, in Malda, West Bengal, the Prime Minister flagged off India's first Vande Bharat sleeper train between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya) from Malda Town Railway Station. The fully air-conditioned train is expected to reduce travel time on the route by around 2.5 hours and improve long-distance connectivity between eastern India and the Northeast.
The Prime Minister's previous visit to Assam, from December 20th to 21st, included the inauguration of the new Guwahati airport terminal, the unveiling of a statue of Gopinath Bardaloi, and the laying of the foundation stone for a ₹10,600-crore brownfield ammonia-urea fertiliser project at Namrup. Modi's recent visits showcase projects worth nearly ₹22,500 crore, blending infrastructure delivery with cultural symbolism.
