Guwahati: A former ULFA militant is all set to enter the political arena when he throws his hat into the electoral battle next month.
Pro-talks ULFA leader Hira Sarania, who once led the ‘709 battalion’ of the outfit as its hardcore chief, could contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
He is set to contest from Kokrajhar as a candidate for a conglomerate of non-Bodo parties.
As per local television reports, Sarania will be fielded as a consensus candidate of non-Bodo apolitical parties in Kokrajhar, under the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD).
These non-political parties have been demanding equal rights for indigenous settlers in BTAD who do not belong to the Bodo community and have also been opposing the demand for a separate Bodoland state.
Sarania will be the first active ULFA leader in recent years to enter the electoral fight in a Lok Sabha poll.
Once a dreaded militant, he is now among the pro-talks leaders, engaged in peace parleys with the government.
Assam will go to the polls in three phases — April 7, 12 and 24 — and polling in Kokrajhar is scheduled on April 24. (UNI)