BTC seats to be increased to 60 from 40, says Amit Shah

UDALGURI: Union home minister Amit Shah today said the BJP government was trying to increase the number of seats in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) to 60.

Addressing an election rally to push for BJP and United People’s Party-Liberal (UPPL) candidates Biswajit Daimary (Paneri), Ashok Singhal (Dhekiajuli), Gobinda Basumatary (Udalguri), Jitu Kishan (Mazbat) at Diamond Field here, the senior BJP leader said after renaming Bodoland Territorial Area Districts BTAD) as Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) it was the turn to increase number of seats in the council.

“We are working on the process of increasing the number of seats in the council to 60 to ensure adequate representation of the people in BTR,” he said.

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The council, which was formed after the first Bodo Accord signed between the Congress government and the Bodoland Liberation Tigers in 2003 has 40 seats. After 17 years of rule by the Bodoland People’s Front, led by Hagrama Mohilary, the BJP and UPPL alliance wrested power in the BTC late last year.

Claiming that the BJP government has been successful in making Assam free from agitations and militancy over the past five years of its rule, Shah said it was time for progress and prosperity in the state.

“Assam was known for agitations and insurgency. The BJP has not only put an end to agitations, but also brought peace by signing the Bodo Accord. Over 2000 militants have laid down arms in five years to return to mainstream. They no longer brandish arms or grenades, but talk about peace and work for progress,” he said.

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“The process is on to work out a similar settlement in Karbi Anglong as well,” he revealed.

He also lauded the Sarbananda Sonowal government for giving Bodo language the status of an associate official language in Assam.