Koch Rajbongshi National Convention to support BJP & UPPL in BTC Polls

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Koch Rajbongshi National Convention (KRNC) has stated they will support the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and the UPPL (United People's Party Liberal) in the forthcoming BTC (Bodoland Territorial Council) polls.

Addressing the media, KRNC general secretary Biswajit Ray said, the body will support the BJP in 17 constituencies and the UPPL in seven in the polls.

He stressed that the KRNC has decided to support the parties due to their initiatives taken for the Koch Rajbongshi community and their promises made in their respective election manifestos.

Reiterating that the BJP-led government in the State and Centre has taken positive steps for the Koch Rajbongshi community, he opined, "The Sonowal government has passed a Bill in the Assembly to create a separate Kamatapur Autonomous Council. Through the BTR (Bodoland Territorial Region) agreement, the government has ensured peace in the BTAD (Bodoland Territorial Area Districts)."

He pointed out some of the initiatives the BJP has taken through the BTR agreement.

"The agreement includes provisions to secure the land and political rights of non-tribal people, exclusion of non-tribal villages currently under the BTAD, land patta to landless people, setting up government colleges in four districts of the BTAD, 30-bedded civil hospital in every sub-division of the BTAD, formation of Village Council Development Committee through election, removal of the Central Selection Board and recruitment in the region as per government rules," the KRNC general secretary highlighted.

Further, he said BPF (Bodoland People's Front) president Hagrama Mohilary didn't give a positive response to the long-standing demand of the Koch Rajbongshis to get ST Status. This led the KRNC to support the UPPL in the forthcoming polls.

"UPPL president Pramod Bodo said there is no problem to grant ST status to the Koch Rajbongshis without hampering the rights of the existing STs. Additionally, the UPPL election manifesto promises to create a development board for the Koch Rajbonghsis. It also mentions that a member in the BTC will be nominated from the community," Ray claimed.

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