Counting of votes for Assam’s BTC election begins

GUWAHATI

The counting of votes for the predetermination to Assam’s Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) began astatine 8 a.m. connected Friday (September 26, 2025).

Approximately 78.42% of 26.58 lakh voters crossed 40 BTC constituencies successful the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), comprising 5 districts, exercised their franchise connected September 22. The highest turnout was successful the Kokrajhar territory (82.27%) and the lowest was successful Tamulpur (75.09%).

The elections to the BTC, which administers the BTR, had been billed arsenic the “semifinal” earlier the 2026 Assembly predetermination successful Assam.

The United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), headed by Pramod Boro, seeks to clasp powerfulness successful the BTR with oregon without its conjugation partners — the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Gana Suraksha Party (GSP). Mr Boro is the main enforcement subordinate of the BTC.

The 3 parties came unneurotic to signifier the assembly authorities successful 2020 contempt finishing down the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), which emerged arsenic the azygous largest enactment with 17 seats. A erstwhile state of the BJP, the BPF ruled the BTR for 17 years since 2003.

The UPPL, BJP, and GSP won 22 constituencies among them successful the 2020 polls. However, defections from the BPF and Congress (resulting successful 1 seat) saw the UPPL and BJP summation their spot tally from 12 to 15 and from 9 to 14, respectively.

The BJP, eyeing a greater stock of the BTR pie, decided to contention the September polls independently. Its superior were the UPPL and the BPF, making it a three-cornered contest. The Congress and the All India United Democratic Front were expected to enactment up a beardown combat successful the minority-dominated constituencies.

A full of 316 candidates contested the BTC elections – 52 successful Baksa, 56 successful Chirang, 100 successful Kokrajhar, 40 successful Tamulpur, and 68 successful Udalguri district.

The cardinal constituencies see Dotma, Goibari, Debargaon, Chirang Duars, Salakati, and Bhairabkunda.

Mr Boro of the UPPL contested some Dotma and Goibari. Former BTC lawman main Kampa Borgoyari of the UPPL faced erstwhile workfellow and extremist-turned-BPF main Hagrama Mohilary successful Debargaon and Chirang Duars.

For the UPPL, sitting Kokrajhar East MLA Lawrence Islary seeks to triumph the Salakati seat, portion BTC’s lawman main Gobinda Basumatary hopes to clasp the Bhairabkunda seat.