Slip of the tongue: New BTC Chief Promod Boro terms Himanta Biswa Sarma as "Chief Minister of Assam"

KOKRAJHAR: On his very first day as the Chief of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) leader Promod Boro ignited a controversy when he mistakenly referred to Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA) as the Chief Minister of the State. Interestingly, new BTC Chief Boro made the slip of tongue right under the very nose of Assam's actual Chief Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal, who was present at the swearing-in ceremony.

Boro, while delivering an energetic speech during his swearing-in, mistakenly said that "Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma" would find a permanent solution to the insurgency problem in Assam.

"I hope that the remaining insurgency issues in Assam will be resolved under the initiative of Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma," prompting many who were part of the ceremony, including Assam's actual Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

A clip of Boro's controversial slip-of-tongue is now doing the rounds on the internet, with netizens marvelling at how the new BTC Chief could have made such a blunder on his very first day in the office!

ALSO READ: Stage set for Promod Boro to be sworn in as new BTC CEM

Boro's slip-of-tongue can perhaps be forgiven as Himanta Biswa Sarma has been a key fixture in the BTC ahead of the polls, and was instrumental in stitching a partnership with the UPPL to form the new Council.

Sarma, in a series of pre-election rallies, made blunt attacks on former BTC Chief Hagrama Mohilary and exhorted people not to vote for his Bodoland People's Front (BPF) party. Interestingly, Sarma and his BJP cohorts even campaigned in Constituencies where the BJP was not contesting the polls.

The BJP on Sunday decided to join hands with the United Peoples' Party Liberal (UPPL) and the Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) to jointly form the next Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) after the polls resulted in a hung House. The BJP'S alliance partner in the state government-the Bodo Peoples' Front (BPF)- has emerged as the single largest party with 17 seats, the UPPL has won 12, the saffron party nine while the GSP and Congress have bagged one seat each.

The Congress candidate, Sajal Sinha, later went on to join the BJP, citing as "development for his Council" as the reason.

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