BTC's Composite Floor Test tomorrow, Promod Boro faces challenge to prove majority

KOKRAJHAR: Even though an alliance Government comprising the BJP-UPPL-GSP parties has already been instated in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), Boro will face yet another test tomorrow as he will have to prove majority in a composite floor test.

Notably, UPPL president Pramod Boro took the oath of office and secrecy as CEM along with other nine executive members including the deputy chief on 15th December last.

Addressing media here today, Boro said that the BJP-UPPL-GSP combine already has the required number of MCLAs to form the Government in the BTC. "There is no question of regional parties banding together to form the BTC Government."

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He said that the composite floor test should be held through healthy democratic system to elect CEM, deputy CEM following selecting speaker, deputy speaker in the house.

He has urged the concerned authority to conduct the floor test with secret ballot papers, not with manual hand-raising.

Earlier, Hagrama Mohilary had appealed all the regional parties in the Council -- including the UPPL and the GSP -- to join his BPF in forming the Government.

"The regional parties can protect the interest and integrity of the region. The positions like chief and deputy chief are not a big issue in uniting the regional forces," Mohilary stated.

The Gauhati High Court had on Tuesday ordered a ‘composite floor test’ in Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) on or before December 26.

The High Court’s directive came after Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) president and former BTC chief, Hagrama Mohilary filed a writ petition challenging the constitutional validity of the appointment of CEM and other members along with six nominated members in the council.

Mohilary, in his writ petition, also contended that the BTC (Election) Rules 2004 were violated by the formation of the new council.

BPF had emerged as the single largest party, bagging 17 of the 40 seats in the two-phase BTC elections held earlier this month.

According to sources, all elected members of different parties are participating in the test on Thursday which will be starting from 10 am.

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