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Published 11:24 IST, December 15th 2020

Congress manages only one seat in Bodoland Territorial Council polls; winner joins BJP

The newly-elected sole Congress member Sajal Sinha, who was elected from Srirampur in the BTC polls, has joined BJP in presence of Himanta Biswa Sarma

Reported by: Navashree Nandini
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Bodoland Territorial Council polls
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The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) polls have given way to many interesting political moves - for instance, BJP ditching its ally and teaming up with past opponents. And now, the only Congress leader to have secured a win in the polls has also jumped ship and joined the saffron party. The newly-elected sole Congress winner Sajal Sinha, who was elected from Srirampur on a Congress ticket, announced on Monday that he would join the BJP and will be a part of the BJP-UPPL-GSP coalition in the new Council. Justifying his decision to switch over to the BJP, he said that it is for the development of his constituency, which borders West Bengal. 

He joined the BJP in the presence of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Sarma told reporters that Sinha is like his younger brother and had expressed his wish to be part of the BJP after the results of the just concluded polls were announced on Saturday. He claimed there are some others from the Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF) who want to cross over to the ruling coalition but he refused to divulge the names, the exact number of elected members likely to change party affiliations or which party of the ruling coalition they would join.

The coalition strength will go up to 23 in the 40- member council with the crossing of the fence by the Congress member. UPPL has won 12 seats with its chief Promode Bodo winning from two seats and the total members of the new alliance is thus 21 and the seats won is 22. Governor Jagadish Mukhi has accepted the claim of the three-party coalition to form the Council after the newly elected members from the three parties had submitted their claim to Raj Bhavan on Sunday evening. Two members each of the BJP and UPPL and one of the Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) will be sworn-in on Tuesday. UPPL will hold both the Chief Executive Member (CEM) and the Deputy CEM's post with UPPL Chief Promode Bodo being the CEM while Gobindo Basumatary the Deputy CEM.

The BTC elections assume significance in view of the state assembly elections likely to be held next year. All the 14 assembly seats from the four districts are currently held by the BPF, which had joined hands with the BJP before the 2016 assembly polls to form the government and three of its MLAs-Pramila Rani Brahma, Chandan Brahma and Rihon Daimary are currently ministers in the Sonowal cabinet. The elections to the Council, earlier scheduled to be held on April 4 was deferred due to the pandemic, were held in two phases on December seven and 10.

READ | BJP, UPPL And GSP Join Hands For Formation Of Bodoland Territorial Council

BJP ditches its ally, joins hands with others

The BJP on Sunday decided to join hands with the United Peoples' Party Liberal (UPPL) and the Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) to jointly form the next Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) after the polls resulted in a hung House.  The BJP'S alliance partner in the state government-the Bodo Peoples' Front (BPF)- has emerged as the single largest party with 17 seats, the UPPL has won 12, the saffron party nine while the GSP and Congress have bagged one seat each.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that the decision was taken following deliberations since last night among North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor, state BJP President Ranjit Dass, BJP National General Secretary and Mangaldoi MP Dilip Saikia, UPPL Chief Promode Bodo and GSP Chief and Kokrajhar MP Naba Kumar Sarania. The 40-member new Council will be headed by UPPL Chief Promode Bodo, Sonowal told reporters after a meeting with the representatives of all the three parties.

READ | BTC Poll Results Show People Have Faith In PM Modi's Policies, Leadership: Javadekar

Bodoland elections

The election to the Council was held after a fresh Bodo Accord was signed in New Delhi on January 27 by the leaders of all four factions of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB)- then All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) Chief Pramod Boro, then BTC Chief Hagrama Mohilary and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The election to the BTC covers the four districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri which falls under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). 

READ | PM Modi thanks Assam on BTC poll results, says 'NDA is committed to serving Northeast'

READ | BTC Poll Results Show People's Faith In Modi's Leadership: Nadda

Updated 11:24 IST, December 15th 2020