‘BJP forerunner in BTC race’, says CM, citing campaign momentum & crowd turnout
Sarma observes BJP drawing huge crowds with one rally per seat, unlike rivals merging constituencies
A file image of CM Sarma during his ongoing campaign trail in BTR, (Photo:@himantabiswa/X)
Kokrajhar, Aug 13: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has exuded confidence in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prospects in the upcoming Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) elections, declaring the party a frontrunner in the race.
Addressing a campaign rally in Kokrajhar on Wednesday, Sarma said the BJP had initially planned to contest in only eight or nine seats, mindful of the strongholds of regional heavyweights—the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) and the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF).
“Hagrama Mahilary (BPF chief) and Pramod Boro (UPPL president) say their parties are fighting the BJP, but I say BJP is a superfast train, already in the number one position,” Sarma told the gathering.
The Chief Minister admitted he had doubts about public turnout at the start of his campaign, but said he was overwhelmed by the response.
“In the last ten days, I campaigned in Mudoibari, Harisingha, Khalingduwar, Darangajuli, Nagrijuli, Musolpur, Dhuribari, Udalguri, Goreswar, and many other places across the BTC. In every constituency, more than a thousand people turned up to support BJP,” he said.
Observing a surge in the BJP’s campaign momentum, he noted that while other parties clubbed two or three constituencies into a single rally, the BJP held one meeting per constituency — and still drew massive crowds.
The Chief Minister had earlier said that he will campaign in each of the 40 BTC constituencies ahead of the September polls.
Sarma reiterated that the party’s contest was not against any particular political force but aimed at securing a strong mandate to address long-pending issues in the BTR.
“Twenty-six communities live in this region, and even after 22 years of its formation, many problems remain unresolved. If these are to be solved, BJP must have a stronghold in Kokrajhar,” he asserted.
The BTR, long marked by political volatility and dominated by regional parties, has in recent years witnessed the BJP steadily widen its footprint.
From winning its first seat in the BTC in 2015 to securing nine in 2020, the party has made consistent gains and this year, the Chief Minister is on a marathon campaign trail across the region, determined to push that tally higher.
Sarma attributes the rise to the BJP’s inclusive politics and development-driven agenda.