From our Correspondent
KOKRAJHAR, April 11: The overall turnout in the second phase of assembly election in Assam, particularly Kokrajhar district was 83 per cent, at least five per cent more than the previous election. The district election officer and Deputy Commissioner of Kokrajhar, MP Sharma said the poll was totally peaceful in 28-Gossaigaon, 29-Kokrajhar West and 30-Kokrajhar East as there were no reports of untoward incident or poll-related violence. He also said the re-poll would be held only in No. 24 Kachugaon LP School under 29-Kokrajhar West that too due to technical fault of EVM machine.
Talking to media persons immediately after casting his vote at No. 103 Debargaon Higher Secondary School, South side, the president of the BPF and BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary on Monday said, “Yes the BJP, AGP and BPF alliance is going to form the government in the State this time. With at least 41 seats in the first phase of the elections and about 30 to 35 seats in the second phase, we are in a comfortable position to form the government with at least 70 to 80 MLAs.”
Mohilary cast his vote in the polling station along with his wife Seuli Mohilary on Monday at Debargaon Higher Secondary School at 10 am. His twin sons Jeu and Jaan Mohilary accompanied their parents to the polling booth. Confident of forming BJP-AGP-BPF alliance government in the State, BPF president Hagrama Mohilary on Monday stressed the need to ensure true implementation of all the assurances made during elections by the alliance partners. This will ensure development of the State of Assam. “Lots of promises have been made during elections, which should be implemented properly.”
“I have discussed about the same with Prime Minister Modi and BJP president Amit Shah and therefore, I will take care in the State Government that all those assurances are truly implemented. “The Congress citadel will collapse and its many stalwarts will lose in this election, because it failed to implement its promises. The Congress did not do anything for the people, let alone fulfil the assurances given during elections. In the last 15 years, the Assam Government did not bring development to the State. During my campaign in various parts of the State outside BTC, I have seen many roads, bridges school or college buildings in bad conditions which need to be built,” he said, adding that the issue of granting tribal status to six communities of the State was kept in the back seat despite lots of assurance on the matter.
“BPF has also been part of the coalition with Congress for over seven years during which they did not give us enough funds according to the ratio of the population. They did not do anything officially to grant tribal status to Bodos of Karbi Anglong. They backed out of their assurances in the last 15 years. Therefore, we severed our alliance with them. Now we have discussed with BJP leaders including Prime Minister rendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah on those issues and they have agreed to grant tribal status not only to Bodos in Karbi Anglong and Amri Karbis, but also to the six communities of the State. There is a ray of hope now after the BJP, AGP and BPF alliance was in place which will implement whatever is assured in the elections. It is because of all these that the people want change of the government in the State”, he said.
The president of the United People’s Party (UPP), UG Brahma said the UPP and Congress combine force would form the next government in Dispur. He said the UPP would capture at least 7-8 seats in BTC region while the BPF would get 3-4 seats. “The time has come to root out corruption, misrule and nepotism and therefore, the people have come out to oust the BJP and BPF,” he said. He also said the UPP would work for good governce with accountability for the people, besides ensuring peace and commul harmony among all sections of the society.
Meanwhile, talking to this reporter, a leader of the tiol Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB-Progressive) B. Biisa, who lives in the desigted camp at Serfanguri, said their members were facilitated with booth inside the desigted camp at Serfanguri in both assembly and parliamentary elections earlier but this time their members were given opportunity to cast their vote in their respective villages. He said over 600 members cast their vote inside desigted camp in the last parliamentary election but this time the members of other districts and constituencies were granted permission to go to their villages. He also said that there were only 26 members left in the camp, all belonging to 29-Kokrajhar West and they exercised their franchise in their respective villages.