Assam: BPF’s Hagrama meets Governor, stakes claim to form new Bodoland Territorial Council

The Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) has reclaimed control of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) after securing a decisive majority in the just-concluded elections. The party, led by Hagrama Mohilary, won 28 of the 40 seats, dislodging the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) and the BJP, which had governed together for the past five years.

 

On September 28, Mohilary, accompanied by newly elected BPF representatives, met Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya at the Raj Bhavan in Guwahati to formally stake claim to form the next council. “We met the governor and staked a claim to form the next council. We also invited him to be a part of our oath-taking ceremony on October 3. He has given verbal assurance to attend it,” Mohilary told reporters.

 

The party chief, who was unanimously chosen on Saturday to lead the council, said the swearing-in would take place in Kokrajhar. “The governor said it is his birthday on October 3. If he comes to the oath-taking, we will together celebrate his special day also,” he added.

 

Outgoing BTC chief Pramod Boro of the UPPL had earlier called on the governor to submit his resignation. “As per the rule, I have met the governor and given my resignation. The new council will be formed soon. We are grateful to the people of BTC for giving us the opportunity to lead it for the last five years. We accept the mandate and will keep working for our people,” Boro said.

 

The UPPL managed just seven seats, while the BJP won five. Both had contested the elections separately this time.

 

Mohilary signalled openness to cooperation with former rivals. “Whoever extends support to us in BTC, we will honour them. I have seen that the chief minister has said that we will work together as NDA allies. We welcome it,” he said. He confirmed he would meet Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday evening to extend a formal invitation to the swearing-in. “The Chief Minister is the boss of Assam. How can we not invite him?”

 

Mohilary outlined the party’s immediate priorities, placing the region’s long-standing land disputes at the top of the agenda. “The main issue of BTC is the land problem. We will try to resolve it. This is our first priority,” he said.

 

The BPF chief also announced plans to set up a park in Kokrajhar and erect a statue of singer Zubeen Garg, who passed away on September 19.