GUWAHATI, March 10: The Congress-led “Mahajot” (Grand Alliance) is eyeing success in all the 12 seats in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) in the ensuing Assembly elections.
Leaders of the Opposition Congress, and alliance partner, Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) had a meeting on Wednesday and discussed matters related to the upcoming polls.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, in-charge of Assam, Jitendra Singh, while speaking to the media, said that the talks between the two parties were cordial in nature.
“We had invited BPF chief Hagrama Mohilary for a meeting today and the discussions were cordial. We have discussed how the parties can coordinate and contest the polls and together win 12 seats in BTR,” Singh said.
It may be noted that the Mohilary-led BPF has been winning all the 12 seats in BTR (erstwhile BTAD) since 2006.
In 2016, the BJP, its ally then, had left all the 12 seats for BPF to contest as part of the seat-sharing agreement.
Back in 2006, the BPF had saved the Congress to stay in power.
“Outside BTR also, be it Upper Assam, north bank, or char areas, the BPF chief has assured his support and that he will campaign for the Mahajot in the areas,” he said, even as he added that the seat sharing between the two parties in BTR was yet to be finalised.
Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president, Ripun Bora, who was present at the meeting, said that the Congress has demanded a few seats in BTR. “However the selection of nominees will depend on winnability ….we do not want seats for the sake of seats…we have to bag maximum seats in BTR so that we to oust the BJP from power,” Bora asserted.
Speaking to reporters, BPF chief Mohilary claimed that the “Mahajot” would bag as many as 70 seats in the three-phase Assembly elections and “form the next government.”