Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: Ethnicity has something to celebrate as 11 Bodo legislators and ten Koch-Rajbongshis made it to the 16th Assam Assembly. Maybe this is the first time after the independence of India that such a significant number of Koch-Rajbongshis became MLAs, either from the BJP or the AGP.
The BJP has two Bodo MLAs: a seasoned politician, Biswajit Daimary, from the Tamulpur LAC and a novice, Raju Mesh, from the Boko-Chaygaon LAC. BJP's ally BPF has sent nine Bodo MLAs-Sabharam Basumatary from the Gossaigaon LAC, Rabiram Narzary from the Dotma LAC, Sewli Mohilary from the Kokrajhar LAC, Paniram Brahma from the Sidli-Chirang LAC, Thaneswar Basumatary from the Manas LAC, Moneswar Brahma from the Baksa LAC, Maheswar Baro from the Bhergaon LAC, Rihon Daimary from the Udalguri LAC, and Charan Boro from the Mazbat LAC.
The Koch-Rajbongshi community, which has long been demanding their inclusion as a Scheduled Tribe, has ten representatives to the 16th Assam Assembly. They are Utpal Borah of the BJP from Gohpur, Mridul Kumar Dutta of the BJP from Dergaon, Paramanda Rajbongshi of the BJP from Sipajhar, Victor Kumar Das of the BJP from Goreswar, Ashwini Ray Sarkar of the BJP from Golokganj, Bhupen Roy of the BJP from Abhayapuri, Rupam Chandra Roy of the BPF from Baokhungri, Dharmeswar Roy of the AGP from Bajali, Jibesh Roy of the AGP from Bilasipara, and Diptimayee Choudhury of the AGP from Bongaigaon.
Eight Ahom legislators and as many Tea Tribe MLA are also in the 16th Assam Legislative Assembly. Apart from them, five from the Karbi community and one from the Dimasa community also won the election.
Also Read: 16th Assam Assembly: Opposition Left with Only Two Assamese MLAs