Himanta on Village Council Development Committees: Decision will rest with next BTC govt

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that the future of the Village Council Development Committees (VCDC) in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) will be determined only by the government formed after the upcoming elections.

When asked about the VCDC issue during a media interaction, Sarma stated, “Whether VCDC should be scrapped or not will be decided only by the government that forms here. BJP is not the enemy of anyone.”

The chief minister’s remarks come amid heightened political discussions in the BTC region ahead of the polls, where the role and relevance of VCDCs have become a talking point. 

Sarma stressed that the Bharatiya Janata Party was focused on inclusive politics and development in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

Earlier on August 18, speaking to the media, CM Sarma said, “The Assam Congress has already accepted its defeat in the upcoming assembly elections. Their president himself is saying that ‘I am getting so many calls that the BJP is in contact with losing Congress leaders and leaders of other parties – but no one is talking to the Congress.’”

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He went on to highlight his own political clout, detailing the breadth of his connections. 

“One phone call goes to Pramod Boro… another to Hagrama Mohilary… then to Amit Shah and the fourth to Congress. So tell me… how much more power does one need?” Sarma said. 

“I can call Amit Shah directly. I can call Congress too. In BTR, I can walk hand in hand with both Hagrama and Pramod. So what is the point of fighting me?”

The Chief Minister pointed out that even opposition leaders seem to acknowledge his dominance. “Didn't he himself admit, ‘We have already lost before the election’? Because I have four phones. If someone is close to both Hagrama and Pramod in BTC, won’t they get 15 seats in the Assam Assembly? If someone has a direct connection to Amit Shah, doesn’t that make him one of the most powerful people in India?”