Assam Election 2026: Makum LAC Set for Tight Battle Between Congress's Sibanath Chetia and BJP's Sanjoy Kishan

The newly created 85 Makum LAC — carved out from portions of the Tinsukia, Digboi, and Doomdooma assembly segments — is shaping up as one of the more closely watched contests in the Assam Assembly Election 2026.

The constituency is headed for a direct two-cornered fight between Indian National Congress candidate Sibanath Chetia and sitting BJP MLA and minister Sanjoy Kishan, who held the Tinsukia seat for two consecutive terms.

Also Read: Assam Minister Sanjoy Kishan Visits Dima Hasao, Reviews Development Projects and Tourism Potential

Sibanath Chetia is no stranger to competitive elections. In the 2021 Assam Assembly election, he pushed the BJP hard in the Digboi constituency but ultimately lost to BJP's Suren Phukan by a margin of 26,976 votes.

Sanjoy Kishan, despite his ministerial status, is reportedly facing significant anti-incumbency sentiment in Makum, with critics pointing to a perceived lack of development during his time as the Tinsukia legislator.

The Makum LAC has a total of 1,58,430 registered voters. Women voters number approximately 82,967 — outnumbering male electors by around 4.7 per cent.

The community-wise breakdown reveals a complex electoral picture. The Moran and Mottock communities together account for around 60,000 voters, with an additional 7,000 from other Assamese communities — making Assamese voters as a whole roughly 42 per cent of the electorate and the single most influential voting bloc.

The Tea Tribe and Adivasi community contributes around 48,000 voters spread across 19 tea estates. However, analysts note that penetrating the large number of Small Tea Grower (STG) belts — which make up 31 per cent of voters — remains a challenge for any candidate.

Bengali voters concentrated in and around Makum town number approximately 14,000, while Bihari and Nepali electors together form around 15,000. Muslim voters number around 3,000, with other communities accounting for the remaining 6,000.

Despite some internal discontent over ticket allotment in both the Congress and BJP camps, ground reports suggest that a significant section of Assamese voters — cutting across party lines — appear determined to vote against Sanjoy Kishan.

With the Tea Tribe vote split and Bengali, Bihari, and Nepali electors forming swing blocs, the Assamese voter consolidation could prove decisive in what is otherwise a closely matched contest in this new rural and tea garden-heavy constituency.