Bodoland Territorial Council polls: UPPL, BPF in close fight as counting of votes is underway

The BPF has fielded candidates in 37 seats while BJP is contesting 26 and supporting Independent candidates in the other seats. Apart from the BJP and BPF, opposition Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), which have a tie-up for the assembly polls, are contesting 20 seats.

The counting of votes for the elections to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in Assam is currently underway and as per early trends, the ruling Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) are locked in a close battle. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trailing with three seats only. As per the counting till 3pm, the UPPL has secured a lead on 21 seats, while the BPF is ahead on 10. Congress has grabbed one seat so far.

Since the coronavirus pandemic began in March, this was the first election to be held in Assam. (PTI file photo for representation)

The BPF has fielded candidates in 37 seats while BJP is contesting 26 and supporting Independent candidates in the other seats. Apart from the BJP and BPF, opposition Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), which have a tie-up for the assembly polls, are contesting 20 seats.

The election for the 40 seats was held in two rounds of polling as 23,87,422 voters exercised their franchise to elect their representatives. Assembly polls in Assam are due in March-April next year and the BTC elections are being viewed as a semi-final contest among the parties prior to that.

Since the coronavirus pandemic began in March, this was the first election to be held in Assam. The polls were scheduled to be held in April but were postponed indefinitely due to the pandemic. Subsequently, all the four districts under BTC were placed under governor’s rule.

Since its formation in 2003, BTC had been governed by Hagrama Mohilary, a former rebel who now heads the BPF, a partner in the ruling coalition headed by the BJP with Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) as the third partner. But relations between the BJP and BPF started souring after BTC was placed under governor’s rule. Both parties are now contesting the BTC polls separately.