First phase BTC poll today: 130 candidates in fray

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The first phase of the high-voltage BTC elections will be held in 21 constituencies in Udalguri and Baksa districts on Monday. While 11 constituencies fall in Udalguri district, the rest are in Baksa district.

In Monday's elections 13,59,020 voters will decide the fates of 130 candidates in ballot papers. The voting will start from 7.30 am and continue up to 4.30 pm in 1,739 polling stations in both districts. The polling personnel on Sunday reached different polling stations. The administration distributed masks and sanitizers among the polling personnel as per the COVID-19 safety protocols. The Health department will distribute masks to voters in case they come to the polling stations without wearing masks.

Adequate security personnel have also been deployed at all polling stations in both Udalguri and Baska districts.

The BTC elections were originally scheduled to be held on April 4, 2020. But the Assam State Election Commission had deferred the elections on March 20 following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The second & the final phase of BTC elections will be held on December 10 in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts. The counting of votes will be from 8 am on December 12.

The BTC elections have become a high-voltage ordeal after the BJP facing the BPF head on. Interestingly, the BPF is a coalition partner in the ruling BJP at Dispur. The Congress and the AIUDF have termed the BTC elections as the semi-final before the 2021 Assembly elections in the State. The last BTC elections were held in 2015. The UPPL (United People's Party Liberal) with former ABSU (All Bodo Students' Union) president PromodBoro as its president is also in the poll battle.

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