Bodoland Territorial Council Elections: A New Political Chapter

The counting of votes for the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections commenced at 8 a.m. on Friday, under stringent security arrangements. The Kokrajhar district, an essential region, hosts 12 out of the total 40 constituencies in the BTC. This election saw a significant participation of 100 candidates vying for these 12 seats. Among them, 43 candidates contested from the Kokrajhar sub-division, 48 from Gossaigaon, and one from Parbatjhora.

A grand total of 316 candidates contested in this election cycle, spread across five districts under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) — Kokrajhar, Chirang, Udalguri, Baksa, and Tamulpur. These elections were conducted on September 22. Pramod Boro, the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) President, currently leads the BTC, competing against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which governs the state of Assam. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma diligently campaigned across the BTR in anticipation of this electoral contest.

The BJP's election manifesto, outlined by CM Sarma, promises transformative changes in the BTR. Initiatives like the Assam Orunodoi Scheme, Mahila Udyamita Scheme, and Nijut Moina Scheme aim to extend their benefits to five lakh women and girl students in the region. Additionally, the BJP pledges to enhance constitutional safeguards and land rights for BTR inhabitants. Responding to these aspirations, Pramod Boro claims their leadership has achieved peace in the BTR, ending a history of violence. The previous BTC elections witnessed a coalition government formed by the BJP and UPPL, while other parties like the Bodoland People's Party (BPF) and Congress had also competed. The BTC constituencies, home to 26.58 lakh voters, consist of 30 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes, five for non-STs, and five unreserved. The Assam State Election Commission managed the voting process at 3279 polling stations across the 40 BTC constituencies.

(With inputs from agencies.)