In a significant development ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, several prominent figures from various political backgrounds have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam. The joining ceremony took place on Thursday at the state party headquarters, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan, in Guwahati.

Among the new members, the most notable are Drishti Rajkhowa, a former deputy commander-in-chief of the banned militant outfit ULFA (Independent), and Manoj Dhanowar, the former Assam state president of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Approximately 50 leaders from different political parties and organizations were inducted into the BJP.

Drishti Rajkhowa, also known as Manoj Rabha, was a known explosives expert within ULFA (I) and had been associated with the rebel outfit for 30 years before surrendering to police in 2020 in the South Garo Hills district of Meghalaya. Rajkhowa was second in command in the ULFA hierarchy, after chief Paresh Barua. After joining the BJP, Rajkhowa stated that he had always put his land before his life and that he is ready to make sacrifices for his state. He also believes that the BJP is the best platform to address Assam's problems and that the state faces serious threats from different quarters. He expressed his determination to serve as a common man and was impressed by the BJP government's work in the state.

Manoj Dhanowar contested the Dibrugarh Lok Sabha seat as an AAP candidate in 2024. Dhanowar belongs to the tea community and is the son of the late Rameswar Dhanowar, an eight-time Congress MLA. He also contested on an AAP ticket in the 2021 Assembly elections.

Other significant individuals who joined the BJP include Arjun Chetry, former president of the All-Assam Gorkha Students’ Union, and Amal Patowary, former general secretary and spokesperson of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). Madhurjya Goswami, former president of the Sonitpur District Congress Committee; Nirmal Payeng, former youth wing general secretary of Raijor Dal; educationist Prashanta Saikia; and advocate Manas Saraniya also joined the BJP.

Assam BJP President Dilip Saikia welcomed the new members, stating that the BJP is a family with doors open to all who are committed to serving the nation and transforming the resolution into reality for making India a global leader. He called for working together to safeguard the rights of the indigenous people of the state and affirmed the party's commitment to it. Saikia also hinted at further additions from Congress in the future.

The induction of these leaders is seen as a significant boost for the BJP’s grassroots network in the state and its electoral prospects. The strategic timing of these inductions indicates the BJP's intensified efforts to consolidate its position and expand its base across Assam in preparation for the upcoming state assembly elections.