Pramod Boro, the newly-elected Chief Executive Member of Assam’s autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) has said his three-party alliance would prove majority in the floor test for the council.
His predecessor Hagrama Mohilary, president of the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), too, exuded confidence about “beating the odds” while offering the two regional allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party an alternative combination for ruling the BTC.
The BPF, which won 17 of the 40 BTC seats to emerge as the single largest party, had challenged the constitutional validity of the appointment of Mr. Boro and four others as heads of the council on December 15. The BPF cited rules to argue that the Governor, who is the constitutional head of the BTC, should have invited it first to prove majority in the council.
Hearing the BPF’s petition on December 22, the Gauhati High Court sought a floor test on or before December 26.
“We will be happy to showcase the thumping people’s verdict to govern BTR (Bodoland Territorial Region comprising four districts under BTC) for the next five years on 24th December 2020 at 10 am,” Mr. Boro wrote in his social media account.
He is the president of the United People’s Party Liberal (UPP), which forged a post-BTC election alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Gana Suraksha Party (GSP). The lone Congress member of the council too switched over to the saffron camp and joined the alliance.
The alliance has 23 seats, Mr. Boro having won two of them.
“We are coming back to power. It will be clear on the day of floor test,” Mr. Mohilary said, insisting there was nothing personal against anyone in the BPF going to the court.
He also offered the UPPL and GSP an alliance with the BPF.
“I firmly believe the regional parties should form the administration in the BTC. I am open for talks, and it does not matter who becomes the Chief Executive Member,” Mr. Mohilary said.
The BPF, otherwise a constituent of Assam’s BJP-led coalition government, ruled the BTC for 17 years since its creation in 2003 as a political solution to the Bodoland Statehood movement. The BPF’s reign ended with the dissolution of the council on April 27.
