Live | High Stakes in Bodoland: BPF leading BTC polls

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.

Sep 26, 2025 14:41 IST
BPF once again takes lead with 23 seats
The BPF has taken the lead on 23 seats, while UPPL and BJP are still training with nine and seven seats, respectively. The Congress is now on zero leads.



Sep 26, 2025 13:56 IST
Congress gains one seat, BPF stands at 20
As vote counting continues, BPF has neared the magic number by standing at 20 seats, while UPPL is at nine seats. Congress, on the other hand, has opened its book by holding one seat lead.



Sep 26, 2025 12:56 IST
UPPL picks up pace to 12 seats, BPF on 22
As of 12:30 PM, BPF has continued to lead the BTC elections with 22 seats, while UPPL is now training with 12 seats and BJP on six seats. 



Sep 26, 2025 11:29 IST
BPF leading in 23 seats, UPPL trailing with 3
The Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) led by Hagrama Mohilary has taken the lead with 23 seats, while the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) trails with 3 seats. The BJP has secured 3 seats, and the Congress is yet to open its account.



Sep 26, 2025 11:14 IST
BPF leading BTC polls, UPPL and BJP struggling to follow
Latest updates suggest that the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) is in the lead with 17 seats, while the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) is trailing with 3 seats. The BJP is on two leads and the Congress is in none.



Sep 26, 2025 11:11 IST
Vote counting delayed for about an hour in Parbatjhora 
The counting of votes in Parbatjhora reportedly began nearly an hour later than scheduled, causing a slight delay in the overall process.