The ever increasing gap between the Bodo tribe and non-Bodo people living in the BTAD has also had an impact in the polls unlike the previous one.
By A Ghiyasuddin, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: After emerging as the single largest party with 20 seats out of 40 in this year’s election, the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) is all set to administer the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in Assam for the third consecutive term.
But there are several other aspects which have emerged in this election, a possible indicator ahead of the next year’s assembly elections.
Badruddin Ajmal
The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) won four seats while the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) was able to open its account with a single seat. The Congress did not win a single seat. Seven seats were won by the candidates backed by People’s Co–ordination for Democratic Rights (PCDR) and independent candidates won eight seats.
If the rise of AIUDF on its maiden attempt in BTC polls has sent a different message, Congress’ zero has exposed the party’s weakness. BTC is an autonomous 40-member body in charge of administration in the four districts of Assam – Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri – which are named Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) for the all-round development of the Bodo tribe.
An additional six seats in the Council are nominated. It was set up in 2003 following the armed conflicts of the 1990s demanding a separate state of Bodoland. In 2010 elections, the BPF-Congress alliance won 36 seats, three won by Congress.
The BPF, led by reformed militant Hagrama Mohilary, was facing severe anti-incumbency in this election. Besides, the ever increasing gap between the Bodo tribe and non-Bodo people living in the BTAD also has had an impact in the polls, unlike the previous one.
Apart from the allegation of mass corruption by the ruling BPF in the BTAD, the rate of various crimes including killings and extortions too have played a major role in the decreasing popularity of Hagrama-led BPF.
Experts and activists still suspect of the availability of good number of illegal arms in the region, which led to these crimes over the years. Armed militants have also carried out a series of killings of innocent Muslims and Adivasi tribes living in BTAD during the last decade.
Badruddin Ajmal, AIUDF president and Assam’s Dhubri MP, said this is a signal that AIUDF would make a strong presence in 2016 state assembly elections. “Tarun Gogoi (Assam Chief Minister) had once asked ‘Who is Badruddin?’ … now I want to say ‘Who is Tarun Gogoi?’ In 2016, AIUDF will make its presence felt in a strong way,” Ajmal said.
Noteworthy is the combination of AIUDF’s winning candidates – two Muslims, a Hindu and a Christian – who are Jatindra Brahma from Parbatjhora, Manirul Islam from Guma, Abdul Ali Mandal from Fakiragram and Robert Narzary from Dhansri.
“We are happy and this is important for us. It’s a positive sign for the party because this will help erase the perception that AIUDF is a party for a particular community. As a political party, AIUDF champions the cause of equitable development of all communities irrespective of religious and ethnic affiliations,” Aminul Islam, AIUDF general secretary, said.
Hagrama Mohilary
The party, which since 2006 has emerged as a major political party in the minority-dominated areas of the state, contested in eight seats in this election. “It’s our first attempt in the BTC election. For a small party like ours, winning four seats is a big achievement, especially since national parties such as Congress and BJP were in the fray,” he added.
At present AIUDF has 17 seats in 126 member Assam assembly. Hagrama Mohilary, BPF chief said after the results that may be his party has failed in some points to fulfil the need of the people, this time, he will try to do better.
Though the BPF has won for the third consecutive time, this time the party will have to face a strong opposition which will help in the development and growth of the area, political observers said.
Year 2014 witnessed a series of violence starting with May when 46 people, including 22 children, were gunned down in Baksa and Kokrajhar districts. Again, in the month of July, four traders were abducted and killed in Baksa district. In one of the horrific incidents, the militants of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Songbijit faction) gunned down Priya Basumatary, a class IX student in broad day light in front of camera in Chirang district. Moreover, in BTAD, altogether 110 extortion cases were recorded besides 29 abductions in the same year. People living in BTAD definitely look forward to see the end of violence.