BJP to contest 2021 elections in BTR, no more alliance with BPF: Himanta Biswa Sarma

GUWAHATI: Assam Finance, Health, and Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today declared that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would contest the 2021 Assembly elections in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). He also declared that there would be no more alliance with the Hagrama Mohilary-led Bodoland People's Front (BPF), currently one of the parties in the ruling alliance at Dispur.

Addressing a sea of supporters in Kokrajhar's Saraibil, Biswa Sarma said that after the conclusion of the Council elections in the BTR, the BJP party will be looking to secure the 12 Assembly Seats in the Council.

"For 15 years, the BPF has formed a Government here. For 15 long years, the BJP has supported Hagrama Mohilary. We had envisioned that In Assam, the BJP government and in the BTC the BPF government would rule and all the communities would live in amity," Sarma said. "Allowing the BPF to rule was a grave mistake. We should have removed the BPF from power long ago. I have heard the SDC office does not let one either buy or sell land. Moreover, people do not get land pattas here -- it is indeed a sad state-of-affairs."

The Minister, seen as the BJP's point man in the Northeast, also lambasted alleged corruption in the BTC area. "Modi Ji sends money to these areas -- does he send it to the VCDCs?," Sarma thundered, going on to allege that the pensions sanctioned by the Centre have also been deprived due to the corrupt machinations in the BTC.

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Himanta Biswa Sarma also assured the people that the alleged trend of political assassinations would cease in the BTR if the people vote for the BJP and help it ascend to power.

The BJP party, fresh off its success in the Bihar elections, is now eyeing the Bodo-dominated region in Assam, which has been ruled by the BPF party for 15 long years. Sarma has also hinted that the BPF would be ousted from the ruling coalition after the Assembly elections in 2021.

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