From Preetam Brahma Choudhury
Kokrajhar: NEDA convenor and Assam Health minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party will be forming the government in the Bodoland Territorial Counicl (BTC) with people’s mandate.
Sarma attended two election rallies at Salakati and Fakiragram Kokrajhar district for the BJP candidates Kabita Basumatary and Arup Kr Dey today in the two constituencies. The meeting was also attended and addressed by Assam BJP president Ranjit Das.
Talking to Reporters, the senior BJP leader said with people’s mandate the saffron party will form the government in BTC and “the oath taking ceremony will be held by 15 December next”.
He lambasted the Hagrama Mohilary led Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) for allegedly indulging in massive corruption in the last 17 years rule in BTC. “The Central and State Government had provided crores of rupees to BTC but the BPF under Hagrama Mohilary has failed to carry out development activities, Sarma said.
“Development in BTC would have attain new height, if the BPF administration in BTC have utilised the development fund provided by the Central and state government, Sarma said adding that he will made it public with “documents on the utilisation of funds in BTC in the last 5 years. The public have the right to know on the utilisation of funds in BTC”.
He also criticised Hagrama Mohilary of speaking against the 3rd Bodo (Bodoland Territorial Region) Accord signed on 27 January saying that “Mohilary himself is one of the witness signatories of the Accord and now speaking against it saying the accord is useless and there is nothing in the accord which is unacceptable. The Accord was signed taking him into confidence”.
The BJP has fielded 26 candidates and supported one independent candidate in the 40 member council.
Elections to the BTC which was earlier scheduled for April 4 were deferred following the nationwide lockdown due to Covid 19 pandemic. The elections is now stated to be held sometime in December next. The date of the is yet to be announced by the state election commission.
Campaigning gained momentum in different parts of the four districts of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) with different parties carrying out rallies, meeting etc reaching out to the public with promises of all round development. The UPPL, BPF, GSP, Congress, AIUDF have also picked up their activities busy carrying out campaigning reaching out to the voters.
