Assam Governor accepts coalition parties' claim to form Executive Committee of BTC

* Swearing-in to be held at Kokrajhar on December 15

* Pramod Boro will be next Chief Executive Member: CM

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Assam Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi on Sunday accepted the claims of the UPPL, BJP, and the GSP to form the new Executive Council (EC) to the BTC (Bodoland Territorial Council) with UPPL president Pramod Bodo as the new Chief. This development follows the formal request made by the elected members of the United People's Party Liberation (UPPL), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Gana Suraksha Party (GSP, as a post-poll coalition.

The BTC will form a coalition-ruled governance structure comprising the UPPL, BJP and the GSP on December 15, informed a Raj Bhawan press release.

In the BTC polls, results of which were announced in the wee hours on Sunday, the UPPL won 12 seats, BJP won 9 seats and 1 seat by Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) led by Kokrajhar MP Naba Kumar Sarania out of 40 council seats. The Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF) won 17 seats and the INC won one seat.

Earlier, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday morning announced that Pramod Boro will be the next CEM (Chief Executive Member) of the BTC. This decision was taken in a joint meeting of the leaders of the UPPL, BJP, and the GSP with the Chief Minister at his residential office in Kharghuli here.

Meanwhile, in the evening, they also staked their claim to form the Council by submitting their "claim letter" to the Governor of Assam, Prof. Jagdish Mukhi. However, as the Governor is presently in Chennai, the "Claim letter" was taken by the Commissioner & Secretary of the Raj Bhawan on behalf of the Governor.

Mentionably immediately after the announcement of the BTC poll results in the wee hours on Sunday, UPPL chief Pramod Boro along with GSP chief and Kokrajhar MP NabaSarania met NEDA (North East Democratic Alliance) convener Himanta Biswa Sarma and BJP State president Ranjeet Kumar Dass in Dispur, and discussed the post-poll scenario. Later in the morning, the elected candidates of the UPPL and the GSP along with Boro and Sarania met Dass at a meeting in a city hotel. Subsequently, all of them went to meet the Chief Minister, during which the Chief Minister made the announcement.

After the meeting with the Chief Minister at Kharghuli, Himanta Biswa Sarma along with Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Pramod Boro and Naba Sarania addressed the media jointly in the afternoon. UPPL chief Pramod Boro said, "We'll serve the people of BTR unitedly. The residents of this area have many problems. My prime aim is to restore the communal harmony and prosperity of the masses dwelling in this vast area. I take this opportunity to offer my gratitude to Prime Minister NarendraModiji, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowalji and BJP president J.P. Naddaji. "

Boro also urged the BJP State president Dass to include the UPPL as a constituent of NEDA.

BJP State president Ranjeet Kumar Dass said, "The people of BTR wants change, and they voted accordingly. The BJP, UPPL, and the GSP have accorded Pramod Boro the responsibility to lead the BTC."

GSP chief and MP Naba Sarania said, "I believe that the people of BTR will witness fast progress in all aspects and also communal harmony under the leadership of Pramod Boro as the CEM of BTC.

Praising the electorates of BTR, Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "The people of BTR have voted for a change in governance. The BTC will be formed with the representatives of three parties, namely the UPPL, BJP, and GSP."

On the alliance with the BPF led by Hagrama Mohillary, Sarma said, "The BJP has alliance with the BPF at Dispur only. It'll continue till 2021. This alliance is similar to the one we have with the AGP (Asom Gana Parishad). However, we don't have any alliance with the BPF in the BTR."

When asked about the possibility of the BPF opting to be a part in the new council, Sarma said, "Such decision will be taken by the UPPL, BJP, and the GSP."

On the formalities remaining to constitute the new Council in BTR, Sarma pointed out, "We have staked our claim with the State Governor to form the council. If the Governor is pleased, he will send a recommendation to the Department of WPT&BC (Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes). Based on the recommendation, the Department will issue a notification. Then the Commissioner of Lower Assam will make the necessary arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony."

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