BTC poll dates expected in 2 days; BJP candidate list to follow 48 hours later: CM

Guwahati, August 25: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is confident that it has reached a stage where it can form the next government in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).

Addressing a campaign meeting at Salakati in Kokrajhar, Sarma told the press that the party is optimistic about its chances in the upcoming September polls.

“The BJP believes it has reached a stage in BTC where it would be able to form the next government,” he said.

The Chief Minister added that the Election Commission is expected to announce the poll dates within the next two days.

“Within 48 hours after election dates are announced, we will release the list of candidates — by the 28th or 29th,” he said.

Sarma, who has two more public meetings lined up in the Bodoland Territorial Region, claimed that the response on the ground has been encouraging.

“Our meetings have seen huge crowds. But since attending rallies and casting votes are two different matters, we will assess our support before taking final decisions,” he noted.

He further said that party observers are already active in the constituencies. Once the poll schedule is out, the party will finalise its candidates. “There are many applicants, and we will be announcing the list soon,” Sarma said.

The BJP will contest the BTC elections on its own, while its ally in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), will also fight the polls independently.