The Bodoland Territorial Council elections delivered a fractured mandate on Saturday as no party contesting the polls could muster up the majority of 21 seats, NDTV reported.
The Bodoland People’s Front, which has controlled the council for about 17 years, won 17 seats, three less than its 2015 tally. The Bharatiya Janata Party, which won one seat in the last elections, made inroads in the state, winning nine constituencies.
The Congress and the All India United Democratic Front, contesting in an alliance, performed poorly in the polls. While the Congress won one seat, AIUDF could not secure even a single constituency.
The United People’s Party Liberal, or UPPL, bagged 12 seats, making it the kingmaker in the polls. It is led by Pramod Boro, a key signatory to the Bodo Peace Accord. BJP General Secretary Dilip Saikia said that party was in touch with the UPPL to form the next council, India Today reported.
Counting of votes began at 8 am on Saturday in 10 subdivisional headquarters of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri districts. The voting for the 40-seat council was held in two phases on December 7 and 10.
The BJP had contested the polls against its ally, the Bodoland People’s Front. The relations between the BJP and Bodoland Peoples’ Front worsened after the four districts under the council were placed under the Governor’s rule after the polls, scheduled to take place in April, were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Since its formation in 2003, the Bodoland Territorial Council had been governed by Hagrama Mohilary, a former rebel now heading the Bodoland Peoples’ Front. The elections were being looked at as a significant affair before the state elections scheduled to be held in less than six months’ time.
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