According to the counting so far, the ruling Bodoland People's Front (BPF) is all set to retain power for the third time in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) having won 15 of the 17 seats for which results have been declared.
The People's Coordination for Democratic Rights (PCDR) and the AIUDF have won a seat each, while counting was expected to go on till late tonight as ballot papers were used in the polls held in the four Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri, Assam State election office said here.
The BPF was leading in most of the remaining 33 constituencies with the PCDR giving a tough fight and winning margins were narrow.
BPF chief Hagrama Mohilary was trailing through the day, but managed to establish a narrow lead later in the day, but counting was still on.
The remaining results were expected to be announced later tonight or even tomorrow.
A record 77 per cent electorate exercised their franchise on April 8 to decide the fate of 316 candidates in the fray for the 40 seats.
There are 46 territorial council constituencies in the BTC, but elections were held for 40 seats with the Assam Governor nominating six members to the council from the unrepresented communities.
The BTC came into existence in 2003 as part of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Centre, the state government and the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) with polling held for the council for the first time in 2003 and the BPF winning a majority and retaining power for the second consecutive term in 2010.
