Promod Boro wins BTC floor test; big blow for Hagrama Mohilary

Kokrajhar: In a big blow to Bodoland People's Front (BPF) chief Hagrama Mohilary, the BJP-UPPL-GSP combine won the composite floor test in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). Promod Boro, the recently elected Chief Executive Member (CEM) of BTC managed to sail through the floor test as he got the full support of all the 22 members of the just-formed Council.

Soon after winning the trust vote, Promod Boro who is the UPPL president said, "The UPPL-BJP-GSP alliance will work for the peace and prosperity of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR)."

Uproarious scenes, heated arguments were witnessed soon after the floor test was done which Promod Boro has termed as 'undemocratic behaviour' of BPF members.

The Gauhati High Court had on Tuesday ordered for a composite floor test by December 26. UPPL decided to hold the floor test on Thursday, December 24.

The Court order was passed in response to a petition filed by Bodoland People's Front (BPF) chief and three-time CEM of BTC, Hagrama Mohilary. In the petition which was first heard on December 18, BPF said that the election of the CEM was done by violating Constitutional provisions and the entire process of election of members was in violation of the Election Rules of 2004. Mohilary and six other members of BPF had challenged the validity of the appointments of CEM and the members.

The new council was formed by the BJP-UPPL-GSP with 22 members. UPPL had won 12 seats, GSP won one seat, BJP had won nine seats in the BTC polls held earlier this month. The lone elected member from the Congress and another from the BPF defected to the BJP later to join the UPPL-led alliance. Mohilary and six other members of BPF had challenged the validity of the appointments of CEM and the members.

BPF had emerged as the single largest party with 17 seats for the 40-member Council but BJP took the lead to form the Council with support from UPPL and Gana Suraksha Parishad (GSP).

The BPF, which is a constituent of Assam's BJP-headed coalition government, ruled BTC for 17 years ever since its formation in 2003 as a political solution to the Bodo agitation for a separate state.

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