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Campaigning for Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Council polls ends

AnyFans 2025-10-02

By The Hindu Bureau

Campaigning for the elections to Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) came to a close on Saturday (September 20, 2025), officials said.

Elections to the 40 BTC constituencies across the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) will be held on September 22. The BTC governs the BTR comprising five districts of north-central and western Assam, all bordering Bhutan.

The campaign phase was peaceful, barring a clash between the supporters of the ruling United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) and rival Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) in Kokrajhar district’s Baukhungri constituency on September 9.

The returning officers of these districts issued orders announcing the end of the campaign 48 hours ahead of the polls. According to the State Election Commission, voting will be held from 7.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. across 3,359 polling stations.

The polling hours will be the same for fresh polls, if required, on September 24, two days before the date of counting of votes.

“During this (silence) period, no person shall convene, hold, attend, join or address any public meeting or procession related to the election. Further, no election matter may be displayed to the public by means of cinematography, television or any similar apparatus, nor may any election propaganda be carried out through musical concerts, theatrical performances or other entertainment intended to attract public attention,” the order read.

The BTC has 26.6 lakh voters, including 13.3 lakh women, and 17 others.

Three-way contest

A total of 316 candidates are contesting the BTC elections — 52 of them in Baksa, 56 in Chirang, 100 in Kokrajhar, 40 in Tamulpur, and 68 in the Udalguri district. The contest is expected to be between the UPPL, the BPF, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The UPPL rules the BTC in alliance with the BJP and the regional Gana Suraksha Party. Keen on penetrating the BTR deeper, the BJP decided against any pre-poll alliance with the UPPL, unlike during the 2020 polls. Candidates of the two parties will face each other in 30 constituencies.

The BPF, a former BJP ally which temporarily befriended the Congress party, seeks to return to power in the BTR after five years. The party had ruled the tribal council for 17 years from 2003.

Some of the key constituencies are Dotma and Goibari. BTC chief and UPPL president Pramod Boro is contesting both seats. His opponents in the first are incumbent Prakash Basumatary of the BPF and Manoranjan Brahma of the BJP, while in the second, he faces Jiten Muchahary of the BPF.

Kampa Borgoyari, the BTC’s former deputy chief, is also contesting two seats – Debargaon and Chirang Duars. His prime rival in both seats is BPF chief Hagrama Basumatary, a former extremist who ruled the BTC for 17 years.

The other major constituencies are Salakati and Bhairabkunda.

Sitting Kokrajhar East MLA Lawrence Islary of the UPPL will be up against Derhasat Basumatary of the BPF and Kabita Basumatary of the BJP in Salakati. The BTC’s deputy chief, Gobinda Basumatary of the UPPL, will take on former Assam Minister Rihon Daimary of the BPF and Minon Mushahary of the BJP in Bhairabkunda.