BPF's Sweeping Win in BTC Elections: A Sign of Change in Assam Politics?

The Hagrama Mohilary-led Bodoland People's Front (BPF) has achieved a resounding victory in the recent Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections by securing 28 council seats, setting the stage for them to form the next council administration.

According to results announced by the Assam State Election Commission, the Bodoland People's Front dominated with 28 seats, while the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), led by Pramod Boro, managed to secure only 7 seats, followed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 5 seats under its belt. The Congress party, however, faced a disappointing outcome, failing to secure any seat in this electoral bout.

The election results were described by Trinamool Congress leader Sushmita Dev as a decisive rejection of the BJP-led state government's policies, hinting at a brewing resistance to divisive politics in Assam. Gratitude was extended to the voters and Trinamool Congress workers for their effort in this politically pivotal region.

In previous elections, the BTC council saw a coalition between UPPL and BJP. The swearing-in ceremony for the newly elected councilors is anticipated to occur on October 3 in Kokrajhar.

This election cycle saw participation from 316 candidates across five districts that comprise the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR)—Kokrajhar, Chirang, Udalguri, Baksa, and Tamulpur. The Kokrajhar district alone contributed with 12 constituencies. Among these contests, a striking 43 candidates hailed from the Kokrajhar sub-division and 48 from Gossaigaon, with one from Parbatjhora.

The polling for these general elections was held on September 22 with the vote count completed amidst tight security measures. In the BTC, 30 of the 40 council constituencies are reserved specifically for Scheduled Tribes, leaving the rest divided between non-ST communities and a few unreserved constituencies. The five BTC districts are home to 26.58 lakh registered voters, with 3279 polling stations established for this electoral exercise. (ANI)