In Assam, parties promise lasting peace as Bodoland polls near

The promise of lasting peace dominated the poll rhetoric as political parties campaigned hard for the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections to be held on September 22.

The BTC has 40 constituencies spread across five districts of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) bordering Bhutan.

On Thursday (September 18, 2025), the third-last day of campaigning, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and BTC chief Pramod Boro of the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) addressed rallies.

In Baksa district’s Hajoowa, Mr. Sarma underscored the BJP’s role in restoring peace in the BTR, which endured extremist and political violence for decades until 2020. Hajoowa is in Koklabari, a seat reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (ST).

“Bodoland did not witness any unrest in the past few years. The credit goes to the BJP,” he said, assuring the people that land in the BTR will remain with the “sons of the soil” and not go to “Adani and Ambani”.

There have been allegations that the BJP has been planning to give land to major corporate houses to set up thermal and solar power plants.

Around 100 km to the east, in Udalguri district’s Uttar Kalikhola, Mr. Boro said that the UPPL’s focus on peace paved the way for multi-sector development projects that the BTR lacked despite 17 years of rule by the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF). Uttar Kalikhola is in Nonwi Serfang, a non-ST constituency.

Led by former extremist leader-turned-politician Hagrama Mohilary, the BPF is the UPPL’s main rival, although the latter is up against its current ally the BJP in several seats.

“During our 2020 poll campaign, the BPF tried to scare people by saying there would be arson, killings, abductions, and assaults if the UPPL came to power. Nothing happened, as we ensured an atmosphere of peace,” Mr. Boro told a sizeable gathering of mostly Bengali Muslim and Adivasi people.

He paused his address midway for the afternoon azan, or Muslim prayer, at a mosque near the venue to end.

Unlike the 2020 elections, the BJP and UPPL did not go for an alliance. While the former is contesting 30 seats, the latter has fielded candidates in 40 constituencies. The BPF and Congress, contesting 40 seats each, have also been promising lasting peace in the BTR if voted to power.