Assam NDA allies UPPL AGP name candidates for BTC polls

    Kokrajhar (Assam), Aug 31 (PTI) Two key NDA allies in Assam on Sunday announced candidates for the upcoming polls to the 40-member Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), with the UPPL fielding its nominees in 16 more seats and the AGP in four segments.
    Incumbent BTC chief Pramod Boro was nominated from Goibari constituency by the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL). The party had earlier fielded 18 candidates.
    The allies of the BJP-led NDA had decided to fight the BTC elections, scheduled for September 22, separately.
    The BJP will announce its candidates later on Sunday, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had toured the BTC region extensively in the run-up to the polls, earlier stating that the party will field its nominees in most seats.
    Boro's deputy Gobinda Basumatary from Bhairabkunda and former BTC deputy chief Kampa Borgoyari are among those named on the second list of the UPPL.
    The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) named Bistu Ram Narzary from Baukhugri (ST reserved) seat, Manmohan Das from Mathanguri, Bipradip Talukdar from Srirampur and Parthajit Ray from Thuribari.
    In the last BTC polls, UPPL had won 12 seats, the BJP nine and its ally Gana Suraksha Party one.
    The Bodoland People’s Party (BPF), which had been in power in BTC prior to the 2020 polls, had bagged 17 seats last time. The Congress' lone member in the council had joined the BJP.
    The last date of filing nominations for BTC polls is September 2, while the documents will be scrutinised on September 4.
    The candidates can withdraw their applications till September 6.
    If there is any requirement for repolling in any constituency, it will be held on September 24.
    The votes will be counted on September 26.
    The total number of voters in the 40 constituencies spread across Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Tamulpur and Udalguri districts is 26,57,937, including 13,34,521 women and 17 others.
    he voting will be held across 3,359 polling stations on September 22.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)