BJP to fight 4 BTR seats; BPF, UPPL to decide on 11: Assam CM Himanta

Guwahati: BJP will contest four of the 15 seats in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) in the upcoming assembly polls, while the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), which has returned to NDA fold after a gap of five years, will have discussions with United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) and reach an understanding on the remaining 11 seats, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said in Bajali on Monday.

The CM was attending the last day of the second phase of BJP’s Jan Ashirwad Yatra. Out of 126 total assembly seats, 15 seats across five districts — Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Tamulpur and Udalguri fall in BTR.




“BPF will forge an alliance with UPPL; not the BJP. As a bigger party, we have decided that BPF will contest in 11 out of 15 seats in BTR and BJP will contest in only four seats. Whatever understanding will take place, it will take place between BPF and UPPL on those 11 seats,” Sarma said.

It is pertinent to mention that Hagrama Mohilary-led BPF has returned to the NDA fold for the upcoming assembly elections after a hiatus of five years. BPF was an ally of BJP in the 2016 assembly elections. However, BJP did not continue the alliance with the BPF in 2021 and Pramod Boro-led UPPL entered the NDA fold in 2021.

Regarding the seat sharing with Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) — an ally of BJP for the last 10 years — the CM said the seat-sharing talks with the regional party has been completed and the outcomes have been sent to the central committee of BJP. “We will announce details of the seat sharing with AGP once the central committee approves it,” he added.

Srama held BJP’s Jan Ashirwad Yatra after offering prayers at the Bamakhata Satra in Bajali district on Monday. It was the last day of the second phase of the yatra, which began on March 5. During the second phase, the yatra travelled through Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Tinsukia, Nalbari and Bajali district.

“People have poured immense blessings during the yatra till now. This yatra has proved that BJP govt has worked only for the interest of the people and the state in the last five years,” he said.