Congress Demands Suspension of Polls in Tamulpur Constituency after BPF candidate joins BJP

GUWAHATI: In a recent political development, the Congress party has demanded the suspension of polls in the Tamulpur constituency, after its ally Bodoland People's Front (BPF) candidate from the seat- Rangja Khungur Basumatary joined the BJP in the middle of the ongoing polls.

As per reports, Rangja Khungur Basumatary alias Ram Das Basumatary met Assam Cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Wednesday evening following which he tweeted that 'Basumatary express(ed) his desire to join BJP and retire from the election'.

Tamulpur Assembly constituency will go to polls on April 6 in the three-phased Assam Assembly elections, 2021.

Although the BJP did not field any candidate from the Tamulpur constituency, its alliance partner – the Pramod Boro-led UPPL has fielded Lehu Ram Boro as its candidate for the seat.

The defection of Basumatary came just ahead of the polling date. He remained missing since Wednesday morning before joining the BJP on Thursday. Basumatary formally joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar at an event in Tamulpur under Baksa district.

Reacting sharply to the development the Congress demanded appropriate action from the Election Commission.

Reportedly, the Commission on Saturday heard the matter in the presence of the returning officer for the constituency Sanjiv Sarma, however, no decision has been announced so far.

The Congress in its complaint demanded appropriate action against Basumatary and Himanta Biswa Sarma and further requested the commission to stop the election process in Tamulpur constituency immediately.

The BPF has also lodged a complaint with the EC following the defection of Basumatary to BJP on April 1.

Basumatary earlier claimed that he had decided to quit the BPF as the party did not lend any helping hand to him to fund his campaign.

The BPF candidate who is not eligible to withdraw himself from the contest now would be supporting BJP's ally UPPL nominee Leho Ram Boro in the seat.

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