Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that the opposition Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) would henceforth be part of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its other coalition partners inside the state assembly.
A former friend and ruling partner of the saffron party, BPF and BJP had parted ways in 2020 during elections to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
While BJP joined hands with the United Peoples’ Party Liberal (UPPL) to come to power in BTC and continued the association in the 2021 assembly polls, BPF became part of the Congress-led alliance. Following the assembly poll debacle, BPF had dissociated itself with the Congress-led alliance.
“Considering the present political atmosphere and after due deliberations in order to ensure smooth passage of bills in the legislature we have decided to welcome BPF as a friendly party inside the state assembly,” Sarma said.
“From now BPF MLAs would be part of the treasury benches in assembly. This understanding is with the BPF legislature party and is restricted to the assembly and we have not reached any political agreement with the party,” he added informing that UPPL’s consent was taken before the move.
With the new development, the strength of the ruling alliance in the 126-member state assembly rose to 81 (BJP-62, UPPL-7, Asom Gana Parishad-9 and BPF-3) while the opposition’s numbers came down to 44. One seat is lying vacant.
{{/usCountry}}With the new development, the strength of the ruling alliance in the 126-member state assembly rose to 81 (BJP-62, UPPL-7, Asom Gana Parishad-9 and BPF-3) while the opposition’s numbers came down to 44. One seat is lying vacant.
{{/usCountry}}On a separate note, Sarma welcomed the move by banned United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) not to call for boycott of the coming Republic Day celebrations. The insurgent outfit, which had earlier announced unilateral ceasefire of its activities, had refrained from boycotting Independence Day celebrations.
“I welcome the positive step and believe that through such confidence building measures we will be able to sit for peace talks with the outfit in future,” he said.
The CM announced setting up of a one-man inquiry committee comprising additional chief secretary Pawan Borthakur to probe the shooting of a former student leader by the police in Nagaon district on Saturday night. The committee will submit its report in a week.
Kirti Kamal Bora, a former general secretary of the students’ union of Nagaon College, was shot by police after he allegedly attacked a police team which was probing a narcotic case. The youth, who sustained a bullet injury on his leg, is admitted at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH).
“I had earlier issued strict instructions to the police to deal with criminals with a firm hand. But if any innocent is hurt by police actions, it won’t be tolerated. Measures will be taken against policemen, if they are found involved in wrongdoing,” said Sarma.