BPF workers protest in Assam’s Bijni, demand party candidate for Assembly polls

Thousands of workers of the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) staged a protest in Bijni under Chirang district, demanding that the party field its own candidate for the Bijni Assembly constituency in the upcoming elections.

The protest was organised by leaders and party workers under the Bijni district unit of the BPF. Demonstrators asserted that they would not vote for any symbol other than the party’s “plough” symbol. They warned that if the plough symbol is not allotted in Bijni, they would either boycott the polls or field an independent candidate from the constituency.

At the protest site, supporters publicly announced that local BPF leader Dimbeswar Boro would contest as an independent candidate and would file his nomination on March 23 if the party does not field a candidate.

Later, Bijni district BPF president Rabiram Khakhlari reached the protest venue and addressed a press meet. Responding to the demands of party workers, Khakhlari assured that he would meet BPF president Hagrama Mohilary and submit an appeal to allow a friendly contest in Bijni.

The development has added a new dimension to the political situation in the Bijni constituency ahead of the elections.