BTC Election: UPPL Trying to Steal Votes in Name of BTR Treaty, Alleges Assam Minister Chandan Brahma

Chirang, March 15, 2020:

Assam Minister Chandan Brahma has alleged the new United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) leader Pramod Boro is trying to steal votes in the name of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) treaty in the upcoming Bodoland Territorial COuncil (BTC) elections and that his party has no other means of garnering support from the people.

Chandan Brahma, who was at the newly inaugurated Kajalgaon Office of Bodoland People's Front (BPF) candidate Paniram Brahma in Chirang, termed the UPPL's moves as "drama" and said that the latter would not win the elections based on drama.

"The new BTR treaty should be passed in the Parliament for implementation. Unless it happens, the existing BTC cannot be discarded. BTC was formed on the basis of the Indian Constitution. Pramod Bodo is doing politics in the name of BTC by saying that there is no trace of old BTC left. He is using this for his new politics. No election will be based on the name of BTR. It will be on the basis of BTC only and the people will answer him," said Brahma.

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He added, "Let the UPPL do as much drama as it wants. The counting will speak. Today, we have inaugurated this office at Kajalgaon in support of our candidate Paniram Brahma. People have come from all walks of life to support him. He will certainly win."

It may be mentioned here that BPF has named Paniram Brahma as the candidate from its Kajalgaon constituency. By launching the new office, the party is prepping up to sweep the upcoming Bodoland Territorial Council elections amid rift within its own party.

A disagreement has surfaced among BPF party workers over the selection of Rajesh Boral as the candidate from Dihira constituency. They have even warned of boycotting the upcoming polls if his name is not withdrawn and Moonsing Brahma's name is not included within 24 hours.

Keeping its internal matter aside, the BPF has prepped up for the BTC elections and giving tough competition to its rivals. Speaking on the lines of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) contesting independently in 30 constituencies, Chandan Brahma said, "We have had friendly relations. The BTC elections will be contested with alliances. We have conducted meetings on the upcoming elections in all the primary blocks and BPF offices. Work has begun at all the offices. You must have seen that people belonging to different communities have come forward to re-elect Hagrama Mohilary as the BTC Chief.

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Kajalgaon candidate Paniram Brahma also expressed confidence in winning. He said, "People will vote us. BPF has been working towards peace, prosperity and development since 2005 under the leadership of Hagrama Mohilary. UPPL's job is to just defame BPF and nothing else."

The BTC elections are scheduled to be held on April 4, 2020. As per an official notification, the last date for filing nominations is March 18. On March 19, there will be scrutiny of the nomination papers and soon after the candidatures are withdrawn on the last date of March 21, the final list will be published and accordingly BTC will go into polls on April 4.

The preliminary assessment of the polling areas shows that there are a total of 887 polling stations in these constituencies. Out of these, 242 are safe poll stations and 415 sensitive polling stations. Another round of review will be conducted within a week.

The parties and leaders of BTC have geared up for the upcoming BTC elections. Several members have swapped parties as well. Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been preparing for the elections. While the campaigns have begun in full swing, leaders have expressed full confidence of emerging as the winners.

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Meanwhile, the joining of the leaders of the disbanded National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) has come up as the highlight of BTC elections. BR Ferenga and Gobinda Basumatary have joined hands with the UPPL with a promise to defeat the “demons of BTC politics”. Former All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) leader Pramod Boro also joined the UPPL to contest in the elections.

It is pertinent to mention here B Saoraigwra, the leader of the disbanded NDFB (S), after joining the BPF, has sworn his affiliation to the party. Talking to media persons after joining the BPF, the former rebel leader said, “If I get the privilege, I will do whatever is good for the public”, and has further claimed that 99.9 pc of the NDFB cadres are with him.

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