Campaigning for the first phase of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) polls which will be held on December 7 ended on Saturday evening,
The ruling BPF, which is facing challenges from the BJP and UPPL, is trying hard to retain power for the fourth consecutive term
Ten constituencies in Udalguri and 11 in Baksa will go to polls in the first phase of the elections, in which 132 candidates are in the fray.
The second phase of polling in 19 seats in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts will take place on December 10.
The counting of votes will take place on December 12.
A total of 23,82,036 voters, including 11,79,020 women, will exercise their franchise in the two phases of the polls to the local council, which was formed in 2003 and elections are being held since 2005.
The BJP-led ruling alliance’s BPF is contesting alone and both the parties were engaged in a bitter campaign with the usage of many unparliamentary words by the leaders of the two parties.
BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary led the campaign for the BPF, which is ruling the council since 2005.
State minister Himanta Biswa Sarma carried out an aggressive campaign for the BJP across the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), targeting mostly Mohilary.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had also addressed several election rallies in the BTR and said that people have welcomed the BJP for development and permanent peace in the region.
The United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) is another major outfit apart from the BPF and the BJP in the elections.
UPPL chief Pramod Boro, who joined the party from the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU), is touted to be a strong contender for the post of the chief executive member, the head of the BTC.
Other parties like the Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) led by Lok Sabha MP Naba Sharania, the Congress-AIUDF alliance were also engaged in massive campaigning.