Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Arrives in Assam: Warm Welcome at Airport, Prayers at Maa Kamakhya Temple, and Key Meetings at Rajiv Bhawan Ahead of 2026 Assembly Elections.

Guwahati, February 19, 2026: Senior Congress leader and All India Congress Committee (AICC) Screening Committee Chairperson Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived in Assam today on a significant two-day visit, marking a major organizational push by the Indian National Congress ahead of the highly anticipated Assam Assembly Elections 2026. The visit, which began with a warm and enthusiastic reception at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati, underscores the party’s renewed focus on strengthening its grassroots network, finalizing candidate selections, and energizing workers in the northeastern state.

Upon her arrival, Priyanka Gandhi was greeted by a high-powered delegation from the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC). Leading the welcome were APCC President Gaurav Gogoi, Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia, former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel, along with numerous other prominent state Congress leaders and enthusiastic party workers. The atmosphere at the airport was electric, with Congress supporters chanting slogans and displaying placards welcoming the national leader.

From the airport, Priyanka Gandhi proceeded directly to the revered Maa Kamakhya Temple atop Nilachal Hill in Guwahati—one of the most sacred Shakti Peethas in India and a symbol of Assam’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage. Accompanied by Gaurav Gogoi, Debabrata Saikia, Bhupesh Baghel, and other leaders, she offered prayers and sought divine blessings from Goddess Kamakhya. This temple visit is a customary yet symbolically powerful gesture for political leaders visiting Assam, as it connects national figures with the state’s deep-rooted traditions and resonates strongly with the local populace.

Eyewitnesses and party sources described the scene at the temple as serene yet charged with political energy. Priyanka Gandhi was seen performing traditional rituals, including aarti and offering prayers for the welfare of the people of Assam. In brief remarks after the darshan, she expressed her reverence for Maa Kamakhya and her hopes for peace, progress, and prosperity in the state.

The massive public turnout along the route from the airport to the temple highlighted the excitement surrounding Priyanka Gandhi’s Assam visit. Countless well-wishers, party workers, and common citizens lined both sides of the road, waving flags, showering flowers, and cheering as her convoy passed. This spontaneous outpouring of support reflects the Congress party’s efforts to rebuild its connect with the masses in Assam, especially in the lead-up to the Assam Assembly Elections 2026, where the party aims to challenge the ruling BJP-led government under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

After concluding her visit to Maa Kamakhya Temple, Priyanka Gandhi headed straight to Rajiv Bhawan, the headquarters of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee in Guwahati. Named after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the venue has been the epicenter of Congress activities in the state for decades. Here, she is scheduled to hold a series of marathon meetings as part of her role as Chairperson of the Congress Screening Committee.

The primary agenda of Priyanka Gandhi’s Assam visit revolves around the candidate screening process for the upcoming assembly polls. As the Screening Committee head, she is tasked with evaluating potential candidates, reviewing applications, and ensuring that the party fields strong, winnable, and credible nominees across Assam’s 126 assembly constituencies. Sources indicate that the meetings began around 11 a.m. and are expected to continue late into the night, possibly until midnight or beyond.

The schedule includes phased interactions with various levels of the party hierarchy:

Meetings with APCC office-bearers and senior leaders.
Discussions with district presidents, block presidents, and mandal-level functionaries.
Sessions with frontal organizations such as the Youth Congress, Mahila Congress, Seva Dal, and minority cells.
A dedicated meeting with the 21 sitting Congress MLAs in the Assam Assembly in the evening.
Consultations with department heads and other organizational wings.

These interactions are designed to assess the party’s grassroots strength, identify local issues, and strategize for an effective poll campaign. APCC President Gaurav Gogoi emphasized that Priyanka Gandhi’s visit is strictly organizational in nature, focusing on internal preparations rather than public rallies at this stage. “She will discharge the responsibility given to her by the AICC. This includes meeting block presidents and other functionaries to strengthen the organization,” Gogoi stated in recent briefings.

The timing of Priyanka Gandhi’s Assam visit is particularly strategic. The Assam Assembly Elections 2026 are expected to be held in March-April 2026, and the Congress is aggressively working to form alliances with like-minded opposition parties to present a united front against the BJP. The party has been vocal in criticizing the state government on issues such as alleged corruption in land and cattle syndicates, law and order, flood management, and economic distress among farmers and tea garden workers.

Senior leaders like Gaurav Gogoi have repeatedly questioned the “moral authority” of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to lead the state, pointing to various controversies. Priyanka Gandhi’s presence is seen as a major morale booster for party cadres who have been working tirelessly to regain ground lost in previous elections. Assam Congress leaders have expressed confidence that her visit will “energize the workers” and provide the necessary impetus for victory in the polls.

Bhupesh Baghel, who has been actively involved in northeastern politics, accompanied Priyanka Gandhi during key parts of the day. His participation adds weight to the visit, given his experience in governance and organizational matters. Debabrata Saikia, as the Leader of the Opposition, has been coordinating the legislative strategy, ensuring that the party’s voice remains strong in the assembly.

The Priyanka Gandhi Assam visit also carries symbolic importance for the Congress in the Northeast. The region has historically been challenging for the party, with the BJP consolidating power in recent years. By prioritizing organizational work and direct engagement with local leaders, Priyanka Gandhi aims to rebuild trust and address regional concerns such as illegal immigration, cultural identity, development deficits, and youth unemployment.

Party workers in Guwahati and across Assam have hailed the visit as a “game-changer.” Many expressed hope that Priyanka Gandhi, known for her charismatic outreach and focus on women’s issues, will inspire greater participation from women and youth in the campaign. Her earlier roles in Uttar Pradesh elections demonstrated her ability to connect with voters on emotional and developmental fronts, qualities the Assam unit hopes to replicate.

As the day progressed, updates from Rajiv Bhawan indicated intense discussions on seat-sharing in potential alliances, winnability assessments, and booth-level strategies. The marathon nature of the meetings—spanning from morning to late night—highlights the seriousness with which the Congress is approaching the Assam Assembly Elections 2026.

In the broader political context, this visit follows a series of high-profile Congress activities in Assam, including visits by Rahul Gandhi in recent months to engage with mandal leaders. Priyanka Gandhi’s entry adds another layer of national leadership involvement, signaling that the party is leaving no stone unturned in its bid to reclaim Assam.

Looking ahead, Priyanka Gandhi is expected to continue her engagements on the second day of the visit, potentially including more screening sessions and interactions at other venues like Manabendra Sharma Complex. She is slated to return to Delhi on the evening of February 19 or early the next day.

The Priyanka Gandhi Assam visit has already generated widespread media coverage and social media buzz, with images from the airport welcome, temple prayers, and road-side receptions going viral. For Congress supporters, it represents hope and renewed vigor; for political observers, it signals intensified competition in one of India’s key northeastern battlegrounds.

As Assam gears up for the 2026 assembly polls, today’s events have set the tone for what promises to be a fiercely contested electoral season. With Priyanka Gandhi Vadra leading from the front on organizational matters, the Congress aims to convert enthusiasm into votes and challenge the status quo in the state.

Stay tuned to our website for live updates, exclusive interviews, and in-depth analysis of Priyanka Gandhi’s Assam visit and its implications for the Assam Assembly Elections 2026.