India is gearing up for a politically significant 2026, marked by key state assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, alongside crucial civic body polls like the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). These contests are seen as pivotal for both the ruling BJP, aiming to extend its winning momentum, and a fragmented opposition seeking to regain ground. Issues such as incumbency, central-state relations, and communal polarization are expected to be prominent poll planks, while electoral roll revisions have already sparked controversy between ruling and opposition parties.