BJP Turns Down BPF 'Request' to Contest Polls Together amid Signs of Growing Rift between Allies

Kokrajhar, March 17, 2020:

With the high-voltage Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections drawing ever-closer, a rift between political brothers -- the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) and BJP -- has become very much palpable. Now, a letter written by the BPF addressed to BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma suggests that the saffron party has not accepted the party's suggestions for seat sharing.

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After the BJP party announced a list of candidates who will contest the upcoming polls on April 4, a letter written by the BPF to the BJP has now come to the fore that sheds a little more light on the current state of the alliance.

The letter, undersigned by the BPF supremo Hagrama Mohilary to NEDA convenor, reads, "In ensuing BTC election BPF party have decided to nominate in 29 Constituencies from the party, 2 seats allotted to BJP and 1 seat to the AGP and in 8 seats friendly contest with the BJP".

Requesting the BJP party to support the party's decision, the BPF letter further reads, "the BPF party always supporting our alliance partners in all the elections of President of India, Vice-President of India, Lok Sabha, State Assembly, Gram Panchayats, Municipalities, etc. You know that the BPF which is in alliance with BJP and AGP in the State is member of NEDA is working as Political Party in the Jurisdiction BTC only."

Despite this letter, the BJP has decided to go solo in the polls, which begs the question; did Himanta Biswa Sarma take cognizance of the matter as the NEDA leader? If so, was the BPF's request turned down by some of the other major leaders of the party, say Ranjeet Dass or CM Sarbananda Sonowal himself? Does this reflect the BJP's thirst for self-supremacy in the NE and neglect of the regional parties on whose backs it rode to dominance in the NE?

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After the two parties decided to field candidates separately the growing chasm between the two parties leads one to wonder: is the BJP losing its clout among the regional political players in the NE region? The BJP, which was very much a fringe player in the region, at best, formed the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) as an anti-Congress forum. Formed on May 24, 2016 Naga People's Front, Sikkim Democratic Front, People's Party of Arunachal, Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People's Front in Northeast India.

This coalition was formed after the BJP has gained ascendancy in Assam, its first conquest in the region. Thereafter, the BJP was seen taking the regional parties -- small and big -- under its wing.

According to a Inside Northeast source, Congress leaders such as Bhupen Bora, Rockybul Hussain, (like Ranjeet Dass of the BJP) had gone against the interests of the BPF. The BPF soon found itself allied with the BJP, and has been seen siding with the saffron party on several issues.

Although many of the NEDA constituents -- such as the MNF in Mizoram and the NPP in Meghalaya -- have chided the BJP over its implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the BPF is yet to raise its voice against the national party.

However, this time, by contesting the elections separately, the BJP has sent out a clear message -- that it is not comfortable with being relegated to a secondary role in the 40-member Council led by the BPF. However, the BPF is a fringe player at best in the BTAD region, as 28 of the 40 Constituencies have a majority-Bodo population.

Furthermore, there are whispers that the saffron brigade is eyeing a partnership/alliance with the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) which is quickly emerging as a force to be reckoned with in the region. Moreover, the party is now being led by the firebrand leader Pramod Boro, who is evading bouncers when being asked about a possible alliance with the BJP.

Here's what the former student leader had to say about the BJP-BPF alliance while filing his nomination yesterday: "It is their own decision, they have alliance in Assembly and Parliament, but they do not have alliance in the Council. Earlier, we have seen the AGP and the BJP contesting Panchayat elections separately despite being allied. Surely, maybe the BJP has an agenda regarding the 32 lakh people in these parts..."

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