GUWAHATI: The Indian National Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) are planning to give a walkover to the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) in 8 seats of the Bodoland Territorial Council polls.
According to sources a secret meeting was held between AIUDF chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Ripun Bora in Guwahati where it was decided that they will jointly campaign in only 12 seats. Rest of the 8 seats will be left to BPF.
While Congress has fielded 13 candidates, Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF has fielded 7 candidates for the BTC elections. Altogether, the two parties have fielded candidates in 20 constituencies under the BTC. But, they will campaign only in 12 seats. The BPF will be given walkover in the rest of the 8 seats.
Due to the rift between BJP and BPF, the coalition of Ripun Bora and Ajmal has come into play. They are trying to build a partnership with Hagrama with the motive of forming a ‘Mahagathbandhan’. The three parties will contest the upcoming Assam Assembly Election together in 2021. Ripun Bora has already disclosed who their partners would be for the coming election. Moreover, with BJP announcing at regular intervals that they are going to contest all the 12 seats under the BTR has pushed BPF into AIUDF-Congress camp.
Read: ASSAM: FINALLY AJMAL, RIPUN BORA, ROCKYBUL SHARE STAGE IN BTC POLL CAMPAIGN
Meanwhile, lambasting APCC president Ripun Bora and AIUDF chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, senior BJP leader and Assam cabinet minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that two leaders are not relevant in the BTC elections.
“At this moment, Ripun Bora and Ajmal are not relevant for BTC elections. They are nowhere to be seen here,” Sarma said on Thursday in Udalguri district which falls under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
Read: RIPUN BORA, AJMAL NOT RELEVANT IN BTC ELECTIONS: HIMANTA BISWA SARMA
On the other hand, Sarma further claimed that BJP would get 90 per cent seats in the first phase of the BTC Elections.
Elections to the 40-member BTC will take place in two phases on December 7 and 10. While Udalguri and Baksa will vote on December 7, polling will take place in Kokrajhar and Chirang on December 10. There are total four districts under the BTC—Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri.
Read: BTC POLLS: HIMANTA BISWA SARMA TAKES PART IN CYCLE RALLY IN BAKSA
