As Assam prepares for elections, regionalism remains a key issue for the state, which has been grappling with concerns about protecting its "identity" from "outsiders," mainly illegal migrants, for decades.
Over the years, the relevance of regional political parties has been questioned, with major parties like the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) aligning with national parties.
Analysts say that national parties have "hijacked" the issue of "Assamese nationalism," coupled with their greater resources, leading regional parties to align with them for electoral survival.
The AGP's failure to establish a strong regional force, despite leading two governments in the last four decades, has also sidelined these parties, according to analysts.
Columnist and political analyst Brojen Deka says that the concern for the Assamese people regarding "protection of culture, language, and identity" has been a recurring theme.
He notes that the threat posed by Bengali-speaking Muslims, particularly from Bangladesh, has been a prominent issue in recent decades.
Deka claims that this issue has been a central focus of election promises, including the current one.
He points out that the BJP's victory in 2016 was based on the platform of "jati, mati, bheti" (community, land, home), a direct reference to protecting indigenous identity. He also states that the BJP continues to promise to take action against illegal migrants from the state.
Nava Kumar Mahanta, a retired professor from Nowgong College (now Nagaon University), says that the AGP, formed by leaders who spearheaded the anti-infiltration movement, led the government twice in 1985 and 1996.
He adds that the AGP is now merely a smaller ally to the BJP, having contested only 26 out of 126 seats in the last two Assembly elections.
Mahanta also notes that 13 out of the 26 AGP candidates in the current election are Muslims, many of whom speak Bengali, a community that the AGP had previously viewed with suspicion.
He says that the AGP has always maintained a secular outlook, but has distanced itself from Bengali-speaking Muslims.
The retired professor says that this outlook seems to be changing as some leaders seek to use the AGP to gain support from the community.
The AGP has also deviated from its core identity of promoting "regionalism" by partnering with the BJP for over a decade.
Other regional parties, like the Raijor Dal and the Assam Jatiya Parishad, were formed to promote Assamese identity, but have aligned with the opposition Congress, which is originally blamed for creating the problem of illegal migrants in the state for the sake of "vote bank".
Deka says that the seed for the overshadowing of regional parties by national ones was sown when national parties started projecting themselves as the "champions of Assamese nationalism".
He cites the example of former Congress CM Tarun Gogoi, who effectively took control of this issue by updating the NRC and his famous line "Who is Badruddin Ajmal".
Gogoi made this comment before the 2006 state elections, when the perfume baron launched his own party, the All India United Muslim League (AIUDF).
Deka adds that the BJP also made similar promises to protect "jati, mati, bheti" a few years later.
Both Deka and Mahanta maintain that regional politics remains relevant in Assam, and there is a chance for its revival.
They say that as the average Assamese person remains concerned about protecting their culture and language, the national parties can still address this important issue.
Mahanta says that the AGP leadership needs to focus on its core principles and attract the younger generation.
Deka adds that the regional parties need to fill the gap that the national parties are attempting to close.