Over 75 percent voting in Bodo Council election

The run-up to the Bodo council election had witnessed several incidents of violence, leading to the death of one person who was a member of the Bodo People’s Front (BPF). The authorities had made heavy deployment of security personnel in all the four BTAD districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baska and Udalguri, with 50 companies of central para-military forces backing up the Assam police. The Indo-Bhutan border that is also the northern boundary of the Bodoland Territorial Council districts was sealed since Monday evening to thwart any attempt by militant groups to create trouble.

Altogether 315 candidates are in the fray for election to 40 seats of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), with the ruling BPF, Congress and BJP putting up their candidates in all the 40 seats. The People’s Coordination for Democratic Rights (PCDR) on the other hand is contesting on 38 seats. The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), CPI(M), AIUDF and the Sanmilita Janagosthiya Aikya Mancha (SJAM) have also put up candidates in several constituencies.

The outcome of the BTC elections is considered important in view of the state assembly elections in Assam which are less than 12 months away. For the BJP, it is the second major test after it had won majority in most of the town committee and municipal board elections in February after the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. It is an acid test for the Congress too, especially with chief minister Tarun Gogoi looking at a fourth consecutive victory in the assembly elections in 2016.