After a twenty-year boycott, Bamunjhar village in Assam’s Darrang-Udalguri Lok Sabha constituency made history by participating in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections. This is the first time the villagers have voted since the formation of the Bodoland Territorial Region.
Breaking their long silence, the villagers returned to the voting booths, marking a significant shift in their political engagement. The historic event ended their prolonged boycott of electoral processes.
Polling took place at Bamunjhar Primary School, witnessing a remarkable turnout. The village, consisting of 15 percent Boro and 85 percent non-Boro population, actively exercised their democratic rights. With around 2000 inhabitants, the village had previously refrained from voting due to dissatisfaction with inclusion in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
Despite assurances from the Assam government about exclusion from the BTC, no concrete actions were taken, prompting the villagers to boycott elections. However, this election signifies their first participation since the formation of the BTR, indicating a notable shift in their stance.