Assam BTC elections 2025 highlights: Counting underway, 316 candidates in the fray, UPPL and BJP face high stakes

The counting of votes for the fifth general elections of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) began at 8 am on Friday under tight security arrangements.

The BTC has a total of 40 constituencies, with 12 located in Kokrajhar district. In these 12 seats, 100 candidates contested the elections, including 43 from the Kokrajhar sub-division, 48 from the Gossaigaon sub-division, and one from Parbatjhora. Across the entire Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), a total of 316 candidates contested from five districts: Kokrajhar, Chirang, Udalguri, Baksa, and Tamulpur.

The polling for the BTC elections was conducted on 22 September 2025.

Assam BTC elections: Current leadership and key contenders

Pramod Boro, the President of the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), is the current Chief of the Bodoland Territorial Council. His party is facing competition from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ruling party in Assam. During the campaign, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma held multiple rallies across the BTR region.

As the BJP released its election manifesto, CM Sarma said, “This election will ensure a new journey in the Bodoland Territorial Region. The BJP has released the Sankalp Patra for the BTC election. We will implement all schemes in the BTR region. Five lakh women will be included in the Assam Orunodoi Scheme and the Mahila Udyamita Scheme, while girl students of BTR will benefit under the Nijut Moina Scheme. BJP will work to provide constitutional safeguards and land rights to the people of BTR.”

Meanwhile, Pramod Boro stated that the UPPL-led administration has brought peace to the BTR after years of unrest.

Assam BTC elections: Parties and contest details

In the previous BTC elections, the BJP and UPPL had jointly formed the council government. This time, the elections also saw participation from the Hagrama Mohilary-led Bodoland People’s Party (BPF), Congress, and other regional parties.

Of the total 40 council constituencies, 30 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST), five for non-ST candidates, and the remaining five are unreserved. The BTC electorate includes 26.58 lakh voters, and the Assam State Election Commission has set up 3,279 polling stations across the 40 constituencies.

The election results are being closely watched, as they are expected to influence governance, development schemes, and political dynamics in the Bodoland Territorial Region in the coming years.

Inputs from agencies