GUWAHATI: After BTC polls, all eyes are on the elections to the Tiwa Autonomous Council (TAC) which is scheduled on Thursday. Altogether, 124 candidates are in fray for 36 constituencies in parts of Kamrup (Metro), Morigaon, Nagaon and Hojai districts.
State Election Commission secretary Pranjit Gogoi told TOI, “A total of 36 TAC constituencies will go to the poll on December 17 in parts of Morigaon, Nagaon, Hojai and Kamrup (M) districts. While the polling will be from 7.30 am to 4.30 pm in as many as 410 polling stations on December 17, counting will be held from 8 am on December 19.”
Though BJP, Congress and AGP are the main contestants in the elections, there will be a direct fight between BJP and Congress in most seats. BJP has fielded its candidates from 35 seats and left one for AGP.
The election will be held following all Covid protocols. Every voter and election officers have to wear a face masks and have to undergo thermal scanning before entering polling centre premises.
The first TAC polls were held in 2011 where Congress got majority and Rama Kanta Deori became the chief executive member (CEM). The second election was held in 2015 with Tiwa Jatiya Oikya Mancha clinching power and Paban Manta becoming the CEM. But both Rama Kanta and Paban Manta later joined BJP.
A section of people from Amerigog, Amsing, and Jorabat have decided to boycott the Tiwa Autonomous Council Election in protest against the government’s decision to include the areas outside the tribal belt under the council. They alleged that without taking consent, the government took a one-sided decision and included these areas under the council. To show resentment against the decision, people will organize a protest rally in Sonapur on Thursday.