Assam polls: Sixth Schedule areas stay aligned with Dispur power centre

The BJP-led NDA has consolidated its hold over Assam’s Sixth Schedule areas after securing 20 of the 21 Assembly constituencies spread across the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC).

The results have once again underlined a long-standing political trend in the autonomous regions, where local power centres largely align with the ruling government in Dispur.

The lone setback for the NDA came in Parbatjhora, a minority-dominated constituency under the BTC, where the Congress managed to register its only win in the autonomous council belt. The remaining 14 BTC seats were divided between the BJP and its ally, the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF).

Across the hill districts governed by KAAC and NCHAC, the BJP retained all six seats, repeating its performance from the 2021 Assembly elections.

The outcome marks a significant political turnaround in the BTC, where the BJP had fought the previous Assembly elections alongside the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL). Ahead of the current polls, however, the party shifted its alliance back to the BPF after the latter regained control of the BTC in 2025.

The UPPL, which had ended the BPF’s dominance in the BTC elections in 2020, suffered a complete collapse this time. Party president Pramod Boro lost the Tamulpur seat to BJP leader and Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary. The party failed to open its account in any BTC constituency.

The BTC, which earlier had 12 Assembly segments, now has 15 following delimitation. Under the BJP-BPF seat-sharing arrangement, the BPF contested 11 seats and the BJP four. The alliance swept all but Parbatjhora.

Political observers say the results reflect the practical realities of governance in the Sixth Schedule areas, where autonomous councils remain heavily dependent on the state government for administrative coordination and financial support.

Although the councils enjoy constitutional autonomy, key departments such as Home remain under the control of the Assam government. Dispur also exercises considerable influence over funding and administrative matters, making political alignment advantageous for council administrations.

Regional parties that once dominated the hill districts under KAAC and NCHAC have steadily lost ground in recent elections. Despite contesting this time as well, they remained marginal players as the BJP tightened its control over the autonomous regions.