Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) polls to witness four-cornered contest

A CORRESPONDENT

TANGLA: Ahead of the BTC elections slated on April 4 this year, the political air has charged up with a four-cornered contest likely among the Pramod Boro-led United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the present Kokrajhar MP Naba kumar Saraniya-led Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) making it a tough time for the three-term ruling present Chief Executive Member Hagrama Mohillary-led Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) which has been in power ever since the inception of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in 2003.

The BTC has been formed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution when leaders of the disbanded Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) laid down their arms and signed the Bodo Accord of 2003, paving way for their forays into politics.

The 2020 BTC polls will once again witness leaders of another disbanded armed insurgent group – the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) — after formal peace talks and negotiations on their demands — trying their fate in the BTC polls. The NDFB along with the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) and the United Bodo People’s Organization (UBPO) are core signatories of the Bodo pact signed on January 27, 2020.

This time, a number of the NDFB leaders will be contesting the BTC polls. These include among others B Saoraigwra and Dhiren Boro from the BPF, BR Ferenga, Govindo Basumatari and Sanjoy Swargiary alias Sansajarang from the UPPL.

On the other hand, exuding confidence that the BPF would form the government in BTAD (Bodoland Territorial Area Districts), BTC Executive Member and BPF candidate for the Mwdwibari constituency Jagadish Sarkar said, “The BPF has the people’s mandate and we are confident of forming the government for the fourth consecutive term. Peace and development ensuring equal rights of every community are our poll planks.”

Sarkar added, “Development is a never-ending process; and the people of this region will impose faith on the BPF under the leadership of Hagrama Mohilary who has been instrumental in changing the outlook of Bodo belt and won the hearts of every community.”

At the same time, Nonoi Serfang BPF candidate and sitting MCLA (Member of Council Legislative Assembly) of the BTC Suresh Tanti claimed, “The UPPL is not a new contender for the BPF. They had projected candidates in the earlier BTC polls as well. We deem them to be a minor factor. The masses’ support is not with them.”

A leader of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) stated, “It has been the strategy of the BJP to betray and overpower their regional allies wherever it formed alliance with regional parties. Hence, the BJP going solo in the BTC polls, despite maintaining alliance with the BPF at Dispur, is not a surprising move for us.”

Former president of UPPL Urkhao Gwra Brahma, while attending the nomination ceremony of his party candidates at Bhergaon in Udalguri said, “The UPPL is confident of forming the next government in the BTC.” He further asserted, “The Bodo Accord is for the greater cause of all the people in the Bodo belt and not just for the welfare of the Bodos.”

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