BJP dumps old ally, picks new one to rule Bodoland Territorial Council

After Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated the BJP’s “ally” United Peoples’ Party Liberal (UPPL) following the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) results in Assam, it was announced on Sunday (December 13) that the UPPL chief Pramod Boro will be the new Chief Executive Member (CEM) in the BTC.

With this, the BJP dumped its alliance partner in state government – the Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF). Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that the BJP, UPPL and GSP have joined hands for the BTC and Boro will be the new CEM.

The BPF and BJP had contested the 40-seat Council polls separately with the former emerging as the single largest party with 17 seats and its ruling partner winning nine seats.

Related News: Violence rocks Assam’s Kokrajhar, Chirang as BTC polls end

The United Peoples’ Party Liberal (UPPL) won 12 seats, and the Congress and the Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) bagged one seat each.

The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) is an autonomous district council covering the four districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri which falls under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

Earlier, Shah took to Twitter to congratulate Sonowal, Assam BJP President Ranjit Kumar Dass, UPPL, and thanked the people of the state for “continued faith” in Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He wrote, “NDA secured a comfortable majority in Assam BTC election. Congratulations to our ally UPPL, CM @sarbanandsonwal, @himantabiswa, @RanjeetkrDass and @BJP4Assam unit. I thank people of Assam for their continued faith in PM @narendramodi’s resolve towards a developed North East. (sic).”

NDA secured a comfortable majority in Assam BTC election.

Congratulations to our ally UPPL, CM @sarbanandsonwal, @himantabiswa, @RanjeetkrDass and @BJP4Assam unit.

I thank people of Assam for their continued faith in PM @narendramodi’s resolve towards a developed North East.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 13, 2020

The BJP National President JP Nadda tweeted, “Congratulations to NDA partner UPPL and Assam CM @sarbanandsonwal, State President @ranjeetkrdas, senior min @himantabiswa & @bjp4assam for securing clear majority in Assam BTC election. The result shows the faith of people in leadership and policies of Hon PM @narendramodi Ji. (sic).”

Congratulations to NDA partner UPPL and Assam CM @sarbanandsonwal, State President @ranjeetkrdas, senior min @himantabiswa & @bjp4assam for securing clear majority in Assam BTC election. The result shows the faith of people in leadership and policies of Hon PM @narendramodi Ji.

— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) December 13, 2020

Earlier today, the BPF president Hagrama Mohilary had appealed to the BJP to extend its support.

Mohilary said, “In 2016, we had entered into an alliance with the BJP and formed a government at the state and we are also a part of the NDA. We have not broken the alliance yet and so I request the BJP to continue with the alliance and extend support to the BPF in the formation of the new Council.”

He appealed to BJP President JP Nadda and Dass to continue with the alliance and extend their support to the BPF. He expressed confidence that the BJP will continue with the alliance and support the BPF in BTC as in “politics there are no permanent friends or enemies”.

(With inputs from PTI)