Horse-trading fear grips parties in Bodoland Territorial Council

TANGLA: The absence of anti-defection law in the 6th schedule region has fuelled the fear of horse trading of elected representatives of BTC among both the ruling and opposition parties.

The BJP-UPPL-GSP alliance, which formed the government with 24 members in the 40-member council, is putting in efforts to keep the government intact and the ruling party has left no stone unturned to keep the representatives at bay from public eye. After lodging them in a hotel in Guwahati for days, they have reportedly been shifted to Shillong in Meghalaya as per inside party sources.

Congress leader Sajal Kumar Singha and a BPF elected representative, Reo Reoa Narzary joined the BJP. On the other hand, the Bodoland People's Front (BPF), which emerged as single largest party winning 17 out of 40 seats, has also ensured that none of the members switche their localities after one of its elected member joined the BJP. The BPF elected representatives, as per sources, have been shifted to Phuentsholing, a border town in Southern Bhutan, 138 km from BTC headquarters of Kokrajhar.

Former Rajya Sabha MP and BJP leader Biswajit Daimary have claimed that five elected members from BPF party are all set to join the BJP within a few days. Daimary reiterated that the coalition government formed by UPPL-BJP-GSP was intact and growing ever stronger. He also disclosed that more elected members from BPF were in talks with the BJP for joining and becoming part of the coalition government in the council.

"The BJP is always ready to welcome new members cutting across the party folds," Daimary added. On the writ petition filed by BPF president HagramaMohilary in Gauhati High Court, Daimary said that the BPF was trying hard to create confusion and tension in the region as it had not come to terms with the truth that it had lost the elections. He added that the UPPL-BJP-GSP coalition government had been formed through proper channels of government procedures and that there was nothing illegal about it.

Meanwhile, BPF president HagramaMohilary has exuded confidence of forming the government in BTC despite falling short of the simple majority of 21. Mohilary, after a party workers' meet in Barama of Baksa district on Sunday, said, "We are unsure of alliances at the present moment and only time will decide. However, we are sure of forming the government and I am willing to bet on it." Mohilary further stated that there must be 'justice'.

"We have filed a case in the court so that we get justice. It is not a conspiracy against a single person," he stated, responding to Promod Boro's allegations of 'mental harassment' by the BPF party. Mohilary has filed a writ petition in the Gauhati High Court, challenging the constitutional validity of the UPPL-BJP-GSP alliance to constitute the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). The single bench of Justice SumanShyam hearing the matter has asked the council to maintain status quo and not start governance in the council and has listed the matter to be heard on December 22.

The government of the 4th BTC council was formed on December 16 where the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) along with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) forged an alliance . Though the BPF had emerged as single largest party winning 17 seats out of 40, it fell short of simple majority and the party was not given an opportunity to prove its majority by the Governor.

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