Bodoland Elections: Is the BPF Leading in 22 Seats?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- BPF leads in the Bodoland elections with 22 seats.
- The BJP and UPPL are trailing behind.
- Counting started at 8 a.m. across 40 constituencies.
- 30 seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes.
- The elections follow the historic Bodo Accord of 2020.
Guwahati, Sep 27 (NationPress) The Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) has emerged as the leading party in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections held on Friday, having won one seat and currently ahead in 22 others as the counting of votes continues, according to officials.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has opened its tally with one win and is leading in nine constituencies, while the United Peoples’ Party Liberal (UPPL) is ahead in seven seats.
BPF’s Ganesh Kachari won the Suklai Serfang seat, while BJP’s Lakh Dias claimed victory in the Nagrijuli seat, both located in the Tamulpur district.
The counting process started at 8 a.m. on Friday across the 40 constituencies that constitute the BTC, which spans Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Udalguri, and Tamulpur districts.
Among these constituencies, 30 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs), five for non-STs, and the remaining five are open to candidates from both categories.
Former BTC chief and BPF leader Hagrama Mohilary is leading in the Debargan constituency of Chirang district. Current BTC chief Pramod Boro from the UPPL, who is contesting from two seats—Dotma and Goibari—has a lead in both.
The BTC elections are significant as they are the second since the signing of the Bodo Accord in January 2020, which concluded decades of unrest and initiated political restructuring in the area.
In the previous council established in 2020, the BJP, UPPL, and Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) coalition secured a majority, winning 17, 12, and one seat respectively. The BPF, which previously dominated the council, later formed an alliance with former rivals.
Despite the BPF's strong performance this time, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed optimism that the BJP would ultimately achieve a favorable outcome once all results are finalized.
“The last three days of campaigning were particularly challenging and may have influenced our results. However, I firmly believe that the BJP will be a formidable contender once we have the final counting results,” Sarma stated during a press briefing.
Results from numerous constituencies are still pending as the counting process extends late into the evening.