BREAKING: Cong alliance to form govt winning 70 seats, says Hagrama Mohilary

GUWAHATI: Former Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) chief and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) leader Hagrama Mohilary today said the Congress-led alliance that his party formally joined today will form the Assam government winning 70 seats.

“We need to win 64 seats to form the government. Since it is unnecessary to win more seats, let’s ensure 70 seats and let the others share the remaining seats. It is at times difficult to manage if we win more than necessary. I am sure we will form government with absolute (actually wanted to mean simple) majority,” Mohilary said addressing the media here this afternoon.

When reminded by Congress state chief Ripun Bora that the alliance has already announced a target of 101+ seats, Mohilary said: “Those are BJP’s dialogues. Let’s not repeat their absurd dialogues. Unlike others, we will not have to buy the support of others like independents etc to form the government. We are sure to form the government in Assam this time because people want to get rid of the BJP’s misrule.”

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He also took a jibe at North East Democratic Alliance convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma accusing him of horse trading in BTC elections. “We are not going to form the government like the way Himanta Biswa Sarma adopted in BTC elections. He had abducted elected representatives, kept them confined in Shillong and Lily Hotel (Guwahati) and formed the government there. Is this the way to form a government in a democracy? The result is visible today. They have already started infighting among themselves now.”

Mohilary said the BPF has joined the Congress-alliance with the sole motive of dislodging the BJP from seat of power in Dispur and to restore peace, progress and unity in the state.

The BPF parted ways with the BJP-led alliance that it was part of in the 2016 assembly elections last evening and announced joining its old ally Congress-led alliance of seven parties. The BPF ruled the BTC for 17 years and was an ally of the Congress in the state government for over 12 years before joining hands with the BJP in the last assembly elections.

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The BJP ditched the BPF in the last BTC polls and joined hands with the National Democratic Front of Boroland-backed United People’s Party-Liberal to form the council.

Earlier in the press meet Bora and other alliance partner leaders welcomed Mohilary to the alliance and expressed confidence that it would form the government. The other alliance partners include the AIUDF, Anchalik Gana Morcha, CPI, CPI (M) and CPI (M-L).