A CORRESPONDENT
Boko: The swearing-in ceremony for the newly-elected members of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) was held today at the council secretariat, with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma gracing the occasion as the chief guest.
Tankeshwar Rabha took the oath as Chief Executive Member (CEM) for the third consecutive term. Sonaram Rabha was sworn in as Chairman and Alka Rabha took oath as Deputy Chairman. Following their swearing-in, the remaining 33 elected members of the council also took their oaths in the presence of the Chief Minister.
Addressing the gathering, CM Sarma appreciated the high voter turnout in the April 2 elections—70% in Goalpara and 67.55% in Kamrup—and thanked all communities, including the Rabha population, for their participation in strengthening local governance.
The Chief Minister announced that before August 15, a tripartite meeting will be held between the Assam Government, the Rabha Hasong Council, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The agenda of the meeting will be to explore ways to grant constitutional status to the council, aiming to resolve long-standing issues faced by the Rabha community.
Additionally, the Chief Minister declared the formation of a Rabha Development Council for Rabha people living outside RHAC areas. He also announced plans to construct a 100-foot-tall statue of legendary Rabha figure Raja Dadan at the RHAC secretariat premises.
Due to the model code of conduct for the upcoming Panchayat elections, CM Sarma refrained from announcing any new schemes or funds. However, he assured that post-elections, each of the council’s 36 constituencies would receive separate funding for development.
The ceremony witnessed the presence of several dignitaries, including Assam BJP State President Dilip Saikia, cabinet ministers Dr Ranoj Pegu and Jayanta Malla Baruah, MP Bijuli Kalita Medhi, student and women leaders from Rabha organizations as well as senior district and RHAC officials.
The April 2 elections resulted in a sweeping win for the Rabha Hasong Joint Struggle Committee and its allies, securing 33 out of 36 seats. The Congress won one seat, while two independent candidates were also elected. In Goalpara District (20 Seats), major winners include Tankeshwar Rabha, Anadi Sarkar, Phanindra Rabha, Prabodh Kalita, and others from the Joint Platform. BJP candidates Bhairav Kachari, Suchitra Nath, and Premajyuli Rabha also secured wins. Parama Rabha (Congress) and Modit Rabha (Independent) won in their respective constituencies. In the Kamrup District (16 Seats), the Joint Rabha Committee claimed most seats, including Sonaram Rabha, Jyotish Chandra Rabha, Romakanta Rabha, Minati Boro, and Ashok Kumar Rabha. BJP candidates Ajit Rabha, Meghali Rabha, and Kamaleswar Rabha emerged victorious. On the other hand Relinna J Sangma won as an Independent from Luki.
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