Guwahati: In a massive jolt to the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government, sitting Cabinet Minister Nandita Gorlosa has resigned from the saffron party after being denied a ticket and joined the Indian National Congress. The high-profile defection comes just weeks before the Assam Assembly Elections 2026, scheduled for a single-phase poll on April 9.

Gorlosa, a powerful tribal voice from the Dima Hasao region, submitted her formal resignation to Assam BJP President Dilip Saikia.

Who is Nandita Gorlosa? The powerhouse of Dima Hasao

Nandita Gorlosa is a seasoned politician who served as a key Minister in the Assam Cabinet. Known for her strong grip on hill politics, she was the face of the BJP in the Haflong Assembly Constituency for the last five years.

Her exit is being viewed as a major loss for the BJP’s tribal outreach. The Congress party, while welcoming her, stated that Gorlosa "paid the price" for opposing the government’s alleged move to sell tribal lands to large corporations—a claim that has now become a central campaign theme for the opposition.

In a rare show of political coordination, senior Congress leader and General Secretary Nirmal Langthasa, who was the original candidate for Haflong, has stepped aside to accommodate Gorlosa.

Nandita Gorlosa will now contest the Haflong seat on a Congress ticket.

Congress confirmed that Langthasa "proactively volunteered" to vacate the seat in the larger public interest to ensure a strong front against the BJP.

Gorlosa joined in the presence of top leadership, with the party set to officially declare her candidacy tomorrow.

Assam Assembly Election 2026: The numbers game

Of the 126 assembly seats, Congress is set to contest 100 and has formed an alliance with Assam Jatiya Parishad, Raijor Dal, CPI(M), CPI(ML) and the All Party Hill Leaders Conference. Raijor Dal is set to contest on 11 seats.

The polling for all 126 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single phase on April 9, while counting of votes is scheduled for May 4, the Election Commission of India announced.