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The Bodoland People's Front (BPF) led by Hagrama Mohilary secured a decisive victory in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections in Assam, winning 28 of the 40 seats. The United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) and the BJP, which had run the outgoing council in alliance, finished far behind with seven and five seats, respectively. In the 2020 polls, UPPL had won 12 seats and BJP nine. Mohilary himself won from the Debargaon constituency but lost the Chirangduar seat to his former colleague Khampa Borgoyary, now a UPPL candidate. Outgoing BTC chief Pramod Boro managed to retain Goimari but was defeated in Dotma by BPF’s Prakash Basumatary. Among other prominent winners were BPF candidate and former minister Rihon Daimari from Bhairabkunda, and Rekharani Das Boro, a former AGP minister who contested on a BJP ticket, from Baganpara. The BPF had emerged as the single largest party in 2020 with 17 seats but was pushed out of power as UPPL, BJP, and the Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) formed the council. This time, however, BPF reclaimed its dominance, though it remains part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Voting for the 40-member council, which covers Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Udalguri, and Tamulpur districts, was held on September 22. More than 78 percent of the 2.65 million electorate cast their ballots across 3,359 polling stations. Of the 40 seats, 30 are reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates, five for non-STs, and the rest are open to all. In 2020, UPPL secured 12 seats, BJP nine, GSP one, and BPF 17, while the Congress managed one seat before its lone member later joined BJP. That year, despite being the single largest party, BPF lost power after BJP switched alliances to join UPPL and GSP. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Thursday that the NDA would form the next council in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). He noted that the BJP faced a setback after suspending campaigning following the death of singer Zubeen Garg. This election was the second BTC poll since the Bodo Accord was signed in January 2020 in New Delhi. For all the latest news and india news, visit Times Now to get live updates and breaking news around the world.
