Results of Assam Bodoland Territorial Council election to be out today

Guwahati, Dec 12: Results of the recently-held Assam Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections will be announced today (Saturday) as the counting of votes began at 8 am.

Polling for the two-phased elections was conducted through the paper ballot. It can be seen that the first phase of the election was held on December 7 while the second and final phase was conducted on December 10.

According to reports, a total of 23,87,422 voters in the two phases exercised their franchise to elect their representatives for the local council, formed in 2003 and elections being held since 2005.

Earlier, the election for 40-member Bodoland Territorial Council was scheduled to be held on April 4, but it was postponed indefinitely in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent nationwide lockdown.

Later, Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi took the charge of the council on the expiry of the five-year term of BTC on April 27.

Meanwhile, the key parties that contested the polls include BJP, its ally Hagrama Mohilary-led Bodoland People's Front (BPF), and Congress-AIUDF alliance. While BPF is seeking to retain its 15-year-old BTC regime, the BJP is eyeing to dethrone the regional party.

BJP and BPF are alliance partners in the Assam government but both went solo in the BTC polls amid reports of a rift between them. The BJP and BPF relation hit a rough patch in March this year after polls to BTC was postponed due to COVID-19 and the governor assumed charge of the council. BPF wanted to extend the tenure of the council till polls.