Bodoland Territorial Council Election Counting Kicks Off Amid Tight Security and NDA Rivalries

High Stakes in BTR: Vote Counting Underway for BTC Elections

The process of counting votes for the highly anticipated Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections commenced on Friday at 8 a.m. These elections, widely regarded as a “semifinal” ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly election, will determine the next governing body for the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

Voter participation was robust, with approximately 78.42% of the 26.58 lakh voters exercising their democratic right across the 40 BTC constituencies on September 22. The highest turnout was recorded in the Kokrajhar district at 82.27%, while the Tamulpur district saw the lowest participation at 75.09%. The BTR comprises five districts in total.

A crowded field of 316 candidates contested the seats, with the highest number in Kokrajhar (100) and the lowest in Tamulpur (40).

The current elections are marked by a fiercely competitive three-cornered contest primarily involving the ruling United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF).

The UPPL, led by current BTC Chief Executive Member Pramod Boro, is looking to secure another term, either by forming a government independently or in alliance with its erstwhile coalition partners, the BJP and the Gana Suraksha Party (GSP).

In a significant shift from the 2020 polls, the BJP, aiming for a larger presence in the BTR, opted to contest the September elections independently, positioning itself against both the UPPL and the BPF.

The BPF, under the leadership of former extremist and chief Hagrama Mohilary, is striving for a comeback. The party previously governed the BTR for 17 years, starting in 2003, and emerged as the single-largest party in 2020 with 17 seats, only to be edged out by a post-poll coalition of the UPPL, BJP, and GSP.

The Congress and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) are also expected to mount a strong challenge, particularly in minority-dominated areas.

Several high-profile battles are unfolding in key constituencies with Pramod Boro (UPPL) contesting from two seats: Dotma and Goibari. A major face-off is anticipated in both Debargaon and Chirang Duars, where former BTC Deputy Chief Kampa Borgoyari (UPPL) is pitted against his former colleague, Hagrama Mohilary (BPF).

In Salakati, sitting Kokrajhar East MLA Lawrence Islary (UPPL) is vying for the seat.

BTC Deputy Chief Gobinda Basumatary (UPPL) is hoping to retain his Bhairabkunda seat.

The results of this election will be pivotal, potentially reshaping the political dynamics of Assam ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.