Bodoland People's Front(BPF) President Hagrama Mohilary support wave flies with party flags

A CORRESPONDENT

TANGLA: The Bodoland People's Front(BPF) President Hagrama Mohilary's call to party workers and supporters to fly the party flags atop their houses is being envisaged as an campaign to mobilize party workers, gain sympathy and widen its support base in the run up to the now-deferred BTC polls.

The call came a day after Governor rule was imposed in the BTC after the expiry of the five-year term of the incumbent council led by BPF's Mohilary. Moreover, April 4 polls to the BTC was indefinitely deferred on March 20 because of the corona-induced lockdown which had prevented the contending parties to campaign.

BPF sources said the hoisting the party flag would help showcase its support base cutting across religion, caste and community, describing the move as part of its mass mobilization campaign ahead of the polls where the ruling party is set to square off against Pramod Boro's UPPL's, Naba Sarania's Gana Suraksha Party, ally BJP and the Congress-AIUDF combine, among others. All parties had filed their candidates.

"The BPF flag with the symbol of plough is a sign of peace, prosperity and development and every worker has contributed to the party's growth. The flag is an effort to boost the morale of the party workers till the elections are held. We are sure to retain power," said Ranjit Deka a BPF leader and President of Nonai Serfang block BPF in Udalguri. The BPF had been ruling the BTC for three straight terms after polls were held after the formation of the BTC in 2003.

BPF's contenders were critical of the flag-flying move. A Gana Suraksha Party leader said, "It is an elected government's solemn responsibility to benefit citizens, irrespective of their political allegiance but contrary to that, BPF party workers and their family members are the ones who have been immensely benefited during the regime of the BPF and not the common masses so it is natural that the party workers are enthusiastically participating in the flag-flying event. It is a subtle poll campaign."

A UPPL leader of Kokrajhar did not say anything on the flag flying move but was critical of BPF for allegedly violating social distancing norms to prevent corona outbreak in the district. "BPF workers are not wearing masks and even not adhering to social distancing norms these days. The State Election Commission must take cognizance of the matter as public health is being compromised," the United People's Party Liberal leader said. There is no corona positive case in the four BTAD districts of Kokrajhar, Udalguri, Baksa and Chirang till date.    

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