Elections are being held in unique ways this year due to the  Covid19 pandemic. Polling booths are regularly sanitized, and the voters are required to take the necessary precautions and maintain social distancing while casting their votes. A similar approach has been taken up as the first phase of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections began from December 7, Monday in Assam.

A total of 130 candidates are contesting in the 2020 BTC elections in 21 constituencies from Baksa and Udalguri districts. Approximately 13.59 lakh voters were expected to be taking part in this election. As for the rest of the candidates in the remaining 19 constituencies from the Chirang and Kokrajhar districts, the first phase shall begin on December 10, Thursday.

As per the recent developments, the voting has gone smoothly following all the necessary precautions to control the spread of Covid-19. There were almost 1739 polling stations present in the districts where the voting began from 7:30 am onwards and continued till 4:30 pm.

This is also the first election held in Assam amidst the Covid-19 chaos. Initially, it was scheduled to take place in April but had to be postponed due to the pandemic restrictions. The Deputy Commissioner of Udalguri district, Prakash Ranjan Gharphalia made a statement assuring that all the party candidates and the voters are provided with face masks and sanitizers to maintain necessary precautions. He added, “There are 10 constituencies in our district. All security arrangements are in place and polling parties have been given face masks, sanitizers for themselves, and also to give to those voters who come without masks. Social distancing will also be maintained during voting.”

The BTC is governed by the head of Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), Hagrama Mohilary, who is a partner in the coalition with Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which is currently the ruling party. However, since the BTC was placed under the governor’s rule, BPF and BJP are now contesting separately, where the BPF is contesting on 37 seats and BJP 26 seats.

A mega public gathering of UPPL was held on Sunday at Bismuri in Kokrajhar, where several hundreds of people from twelve constituencies joined to call for a change in the Bodo Territorial Region. The huge crowd at the meeting bears testimony to the fact that there lies a tough fight ahead for the BPF. United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) president Pramod Boro has claimed that the party has emerged as a strong opponent for the ruling Bodo People’s Front in the Bodo Territorial Council (BTC) polls.

Boro further said, “The huge public gathering in our party’s meetings have proved the imminent change of guard in BTC and makes UPPL one of the strongest regional parties.” “The people of the region kept their faith in Hagrama Mohilary led BPF intact during the past 17 years, but now they desire a change,” he added.

Boro also said that a government with a dominant attitude never lasts long. In UPPL’s meeting, people from all walks of life are welcome. but for BPF money and wages of people matter more, he said. The UPPL also alleged that Mohilary has failed to provide security and jobs to unemployed youths in the last seventeen years.

The BTR accord 2020 comprises of several new clauses ranging from those on higher educational institutions, industries for jobless youths to sustainable economic development. However, the BPF opposes the implementation of these clauses. Boro also said that a development board would be formed for each and every community if the UPPL comes to power.

In the opposition, Congress and All India United Democratic Fund (AIUDF) are together contesting for 20 seats. Gana Surakha Party (GSP) is contesting for 35 seats, while the most prominent one, United Peoples’ Party Liberal (UPPL) is contesting 40 seats. The final counting of votes is scheduled for December 12.

Why BJP vs BPF

The BTC was formed out of the 2003 accords. In 2003, 2010, & 2015, the Bodoland People’s Front was elected. The BJP is an ally with BPF at the centre and the state levels. Himanta Biswa Sharma of BJP and Hagram Mohilary of BPF have been engaged in public criticisms of each other in the run-up to the election. The BJP is trying to make its inroads based on its success with the Accords and is expecting to divide the vote of the non-tribals which would bring UPPL into power.

This feeling is reflected by the leader of the UPPL, Pramod Boro who also had been the president of the All Bodo Students Union, a key signatory in the 2020 Bodo Accords. Boro stated that people feel that the Accord has many provisions that can help usher peace in the Bodoland, and hence they would vote for UPPL, who would credit the people for the accords.

So, BJP is trying to harness the difference between the BPF and the UPPL to stay politically relevant in the BTC.