At Conclave, BJP’s Saikia Talks BTC Progress, Stays Tight-Lipped on 2026 CM Post

Ahead of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) polls on September 22, BJP Assam Pradesh President Dilip Saikia was confident about the prospects of his party, reiterating that peace, development, and unity will be the party's working principles. Saikia made the remarks during the Pratidin Conclave 2025, in an interactive session led by Nitumoni Saikia, Editor-in-Chief of Pratidin Time.

BTC Elections Unique, BJP Optimistic

Talking of the elections, Saikia referred to the special political situation in the BTC region. "There are no BTC elections like the Assam Assembly or Lok Sabha polls. This region has seen volatility for almost four decades and it is estimated that more than 4,000 people have lost their lives in the struggle for the rights of Bodo brothers and sisters," he said, drawing reference to the age-old struggles which ultimately resulted in the BTC accord.

He remembered the BTC Accord of February 10, 2003, signed in the presence of the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani, and various organizations. The BTC elections of 2003-2020 were BJP-dominated, Saikia said, after which the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) coalition with the BJP took hold of power.

"Between 2020 and 2025, the state, central, and BTC governments collaborated for the betterment of 35 lakh Bodo citizens and 26 indigenous groups. The 2020 BTR Peace Accord further reinforced autonomy and development programs, with packages initially amounting to ₹1,500 crore and subsequently raised to ₹2,000 crore," he said. Saikia further added that 82% of work under the accord has already been done with collaboration from the state and central governments.

BJP Contesting 30 Seats, Aims at Triple-Engine Advantage

Saikia assured that the BJP will contest 30 out of 40 BTC seats in the coming elections, of which 21 will be ST and nine non-ST/open seats. "We have observed the people are convinced with the BJP. If there is a triple-engine government—Delhi-BJP, Dispur-BJP, and Kokrajhar-BJP—our path towards peace and development will travel more comfortably," he stated.

He observed that the population of BTC is "prepared to provide a mandate for development," in recognition of the fact that election campaigns will end on September 20, and voting on September 22.

Sixth Schedule Controversy and Land Rights Issues

The moderator brought up the recent controversy over Saikia's August 2 utterances regarding Sixth Schedule regions, tribal belt/block lands, and changes to land laws enabling non-tribals to buy land in autonomous areas.

Saikia played down the row as a political discussion. "Certain organizations had boycotted us prior to the Lok Sabha elections, but issues were resolved. We support friendship, not hostility," he asserted.

He also explained BJP's position: "The Sixth Schedule, the BTC peace accord, and constitutional provisions provide equal rights to all communities, including land rights. Questions on land buying and selling have been there for years and have at times created gaps between Bodo and non-Bodo communities. Our goal is to fill in these gaps and help maintain harmony."

On Speculation About Assam CM Face in 2026

When questioned regarding rumors of him being the BJP's face in the 2026 Assam Assembly polls, Saikia was humble in his reply. With a smile, he replied, "I hope that I am not raised so high that I crash terribly. At present, Himanta Biswa Sarma is the BJP's face in Assam, and that will be the case for the next few years. Time will tell what the future is."

Looking back at Assam's Development and Peace Initiatives

Saikia also spoke about the BJP's rule from 2016. "Assam had Congress rule for 56 years, AGP rule for 10 years, and BJP rule for 10 years. During this time, insurgency and rebel movements have been mainstreamed. After the BTR peace accord in 2020, the Karbi Pact in 2021, the Adivasi Peace Accord in 2022, and the ULFA-Pro talks in 2023, more than 10,000 cadres have adopted dialogue over bullets," he said.

He emphasized the positive attitudinal change among erstwhile insurgents and reiterated that peace is at the heart of Assam's development process. "If Assam is peaceful, its path of development will go on smoothly," Saikia said.

With the BTC polls coming closer, Saikia's statements capture BJP's approach of highlighting development, oneness, and tranquillity, while generating confidence about electoral victory. With the party fighting maximum seats and focussing on previous achievements in the area, the BJP hopes to stabilise its hold in the BTC and gain a comfortable mandate from the people.

Also Read: Six Tribes, One Voice: Assam’s Long Struggle for ST Status Resurfaces at Pratidin Conclave