Regional players BPF, UPPL dominate Bodoland battles

Kokrajhar: With just four out of 15 seats, BJP will be a minor participant in Bodoland that will likely see a strong contest between two regional parties in this year's assembly elections.

Equations changed after the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) lost the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) polls last year. BTC is the sixth scheduled council. Bodoland People's Front (BPF) won the council, and BJP allied in running the Council.

In this election, BPF is contesting 11 seats, while BJP is contesting four, and UPPL will have candidates for all the 15 seats.


BPF chief Hagrama Mohilary's wife, Sewli Mohilary is making her electoral debut as the party's candidate from Kokrajhar. Parmila Rani Brahma, who has represented the Kokrajhar East constituency since 1991, has been denied a ticket. She lost the polls in 2021.

Brahma had won three terms as an independent candidate and, since 2006, has been elected as a BPF candidate.

Following the delimitation exercise in 2023, the Kokrajhar East seat was renamed Kokrajhar. In the present assembly, BJP has 64 MLAs, while UPPL and BPF have nine and three MLAs respectively.

UPPL is looking for redemption in this poll. While Hagrama has exuded confidence that his party will win all the seats in Bodoland, UPPL chief Promod Boro is positive of his party making a grand comeback.