GUWAHATI: Polling is underway for elections to Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
The autonomous BTC administers the five districts of Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang, Tamulpur and Udalguri, falling under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
Polling is taking place across 3,359 polling stations. It began at 7.30 am and will continue till 4 pm. According to officials, there has not been any untoward incident so far.
Altogether 26,58,153 people, including 13,34,600 women, are eligible to vote.
BTC chief executive member Pramod Boro of the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) cast his vote at the Souraguri LP school polling station falling under the Goibari constituency.
“Cast my vote for peace, unity, progress and good governance in BTR. I appeal to all citizens of BTR to come out in record numbers and exercise their fundamental right to vote,” Boro posted on X.
Hagrama Mohilary, president of the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), exercised his franchise in Kokrajhar. UPPL, BPF and BJP are the three key parties.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of BJP urged voters to go out and exercise their franchise. “Your one vote makes all the difference and is the key to a thriving & developed BTR. Vote wisely, choose wisely,” he posted on X.
BTR is currently ruled by the UPPL-BJP combine. Despite being allies, they did not forge any pre-poll alliance. The BPF and the Congress also went solo.
In the 2020 elections, the UPPL had won 12 seats, the BJP nine and the Gana Suraksha Party one. The BPF was the single largest party with 17 seats. The Congress had bagged one seat, but the winning candidate later joined the BJP.
The votes will be counted on September 26.