GUWAHATI: Huge crowds were seen at senior BJP leader and Assam cabinet minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma’s rallies in BTC areas on Tuesday. The rallies were held at Saraibil (Kokrajhar), Basugaon (Chirang), Thuribari (Chirang).
The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) polls are slated to take place in two phases on 7 December and 10 December. The counting of the votes will be on 12 December as per an Assam Election Commission notification issued on Tuesday.
Video footage from the rallies shows people holding mobile phones pushing each other to click selfies with Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma who has been hitting the ruling BPF with his fiery speeches.
The election campaigning has gained further momentum with the dates being announced. From BJP, most of the rallies for now are being led by Assam state party president, Ranjeet Kumar Dass, National General Secretary Dilip Saikia and Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The major parties contesting the 40 BTC seats are the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BPF has been ruling the BTC for three consecutive terms and faces a tough fight this time from the Pramod Boro-led UPPL and the BJP. Though the BPF with its 12 MLAs shares power with the BJP in the state government, there is no alliance between these parties for the BPF election.
Taking on BPF chief Hagrama Mahilary, the BJP star campaigner Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “The BPF chief has been selling sour mangoes for 15 years now. How long does he intend to sell the same thing? How long do you want to eat sour mangoes? It is time to taste the sweet mangoes and pack him off. There has been misrule during their (BPF) 15 year tenure and the people of BTC now deserve a better political party that will implement all the state and central schemes without embezzling the public money.”
Being at #Kokrajhar is always a fabulous experience
Touched by the warm & friendly reception at Gossaigaon, Saraibil today!
Grateful ?@BJP4Assam @BJP4India @JPNadda @RanjeetkrDass #BJPwithAssam pic.twitter.com/2AtUNfIQUN
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) November 17, 2020
