Guwahati, Jan 21: The Hagrama Mohilary-led Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) that left the Congress-led Mahajot (Grand Alliance) has once again shown interest in resuming ties with the ruling BJP in Assam.
The final decision however might be taken at the BPF’s central working committee meeting at Baksa district in Bodoland Territorial Region on Saturday.
BPF legislator from Kalaigaon constituency, Durgadas Boro on Friday said that the decision regarding resuming ties with the saffron party would be finalised at party’s central working committee meeting.
“The meeting will deliberate threadbare on this key decision. Along with it, other important political decisions of BPF will be taken,” Boro said, even as he hinted that the “reunion” might be unconditional.
BJP state president Bhabesh Kalita on Thursday had hinted that the door “could be open for guests (BPF) who come knocking.”
The new development comes at a time when two seats of Rajya Sabha in Assam would fall vacant in April this year after the terms of two Congress MPs, Ranee Narah and Ripun Bora will be completed on April 22, 2022.
In 2022, the Congress will lose two seats in Assam when its MPs Ranee Narah and Ripun Bora complete their terms in April 22.
“We want a candidate from BTR who can raise issues in Bodo language in Parliament,” Boro said.
It may be mentioned that the BPF, which was an ally in the BJP-led government in Assam from 2016 to 2021, had ahead of the Assembly polls last year, severed ties with the BJP to join the Congress-led grand alliance.
Congress along with All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), CPI, CPI (M), CPI (ML) and Anchalik Gana Morcha formed the grand alliance (Mahajot) ahead of the Assembly polls.
The BPF leader further reflected that the decision to be with the Mahajot last year had adversely affected BPF in the Assembly polls, with the party’s seat tally falling sharply to four from 12 seats in the previous poll.
“The activities of the Mahajot fell short of people’s expectations and hence people might have lost some confidence for which our seat tally eroded,” Boro said.
BPF had also shown keen interest to resume ties with the BJP ahead of the bypolls to five Assembly seats last year.
Meanwhile, taking a dig at the Opposition, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that “there was no use seeking help from BJP now as the writing is already clear (Rajya Sabha poll), as to how the Congress, BPF or even AIUDF will support the ruling party.