Tuliram Ronghang, the Chief Executive Member of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
GUWAHATI
Assam’s Mandate 2026 marks a brand new political journey for tribal council chiefs and their kin.
Tuliram Ronghang, the Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), and his Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) counterpart Tankeswar Rabha are the Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidates from the reserved Rongkhang and Dudhnai Assembly constituencies.
A CEM is the pinnacle of the federal government of a particular tribal autonomous space inside a State. The KAAC is one in all three tribal councils beneath the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, whereas the RHAC is one in all 9 statutory autonomous councils in Assam.
‘A new platform’
“This is a new journey for me. I carry the aspirations and voices of our people, hoping to serve them from another platform of power,” Mr. Ronghang, who has been the CEM of KAAC since October 2013, mentioned. The platform he referred to is the 126-member Assam Assembly.
Known for his proximity to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Mr. Ronghang confronted flak within the KAAC after two individuals — a tribal and a non-tribal man with incapacity — have been killed throughout a communal battle over “outsiders” allegedly squatting on authorities grazing lands in December 2025. He additionally allegedly performed a task within the denial of a ticket to Assembly Deputy Speaker Numal Momin, who represents Bokajan constituency in Karbi Anglong district.
Mr. Rabha, who has led the RHAC for 3 consecutive phrases, is the president of the regional Rabha Hasong Joutha Mancha social gathering however is contesting the Dudhnai seat on a BJP image. “To be in the Assembly does not mean I will step away from my responsibilities towards the council. I will continue to work for its welfare and for the development of the region,” he mentioned after submitting his nomination papers on Friday (March 20, 2026).
Mr. Rabha, who desires the RHAC to be upgraded to a Sixth Schedule space, is without doubt one of the strongest tribal voices towards the demand to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) standing to 6 indigenous communities — Adivasi, Chutia, Koch-Rajbongshi, Matak, Moran, and Tai-Ahom. He insists that the Assam ST checklist might be expanded provided that the present tribes proceed to get pleasure from their rights and privileges.
The Bodoland People’s Front has fielded Sewli Mohilary from Kokrajhar.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The Bodoland People’s Front has fielded Sewli Mohilary from Kokrajhar, the Assembly constituency and headquarters of the Bodoland Territorial Council, a Sixth Schedule space. She is the spouse of Hagrama Mohilary, the chief of the BTC.
“I will try to live up to the expectations of the people and work for their development if elected,” she mentioned, insisting that she doesn’t foresee a lot of a problem from her rivals within the constituency, together with Lawrence Islary, the MLA of the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL).
The UPPL’s president, Pramod Boro, is a former CEM of the Bodoland Territorial Council. Elected to the Rajya Sabha earlier than the Assam Assembly election date was introduced, he’s contesting the Tamulpur constituency.
Mr. Boro’s prime rival is Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary of the BJP. The UPPL walked out of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance a couple of days in the past.
Polling for the 126-member Assam Assembly can be held in a single part on April 9 and the outcomes can be introduced on May 4.
Published – March 21, 2026 04:48 pm IST
