GUWAHATI: North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor and Assam cabinet minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma has been intensifying campaign for the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections. Sarma on Friday morning took part in a mega bicycle rally in Baksa district which falls under Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
The cycle rally starts from Barsimlaguri and covers Merkuchi and Devachara.
Later, the minister addressed public meetings at Barsimluguri and Nikicha Dihira in Baksa district.
He will take part in a Padyatra at Goreswar.
Elections to the 40-member BTC will take place in two phases on December 7 and 10. While Udalguri and Baksa will vote on December 7, polling will take place in Kokrajhar and Chirang on December 10. There are total four districts under the BTC—Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri. The headquarters of the council is located at Kokrajhar.
The votes will be counted on December 12.
Altogether 72 candidates are in the fray for the 40- member Council whose term ended on April 27.
Nominees of Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), United Peoples Party Liberal (UPPL), Gana Suraksha Paryty (GSP), Congress, AIUDF and independent candidates have intensified their campaign to woo voters.
Hon Minister Dr @himantabiswa will be in #Baksa on Friday, December 4, 2020.
Join him in large numbers at Barsimlaguri, Merkuchi, Devachara, Nikachi Dihira and Goreswar as per program below.#VoteBJP4BTC @BJP4India @BJP4Assam pic.twitter.com/cvVZei7VVH
— OfficeofHBS (Assam) (@OfficeofHBS) December 3, 2020
The Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) administered by the BTC has four districts – Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri.
For the BTC elections, the UPPL is contesting in all the 40 seats, BPF 37, GSP 35, BJP 26, Congress 13 and AIUDF 7.
The BTC polls were deferred on March 20 by the Assam State Election Commission due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read: BJP WILL GET 90 PER CENT SEATS IN FIRST PHASE OF BTC POLLS: HIMANTA BISWA SARMA
