Assam: Opposition jolted as Bodoland People's Front agrees to support BJP in Assembly

In a big setback for the opposition in Assam on Sunday, Bodoland People's Front agreed to support its erstwhile ally BJP on the floor of the state Assembly.

A part of the Sarbananda Sonowal government, BPF had joined the Congress-led alliance in the lead-up to the 2021 Assembly election. Addressing a press briefing in Guwahati, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed that its new ally UPPL had been taken into confidence over this move. At the same time, he clarified that BJP and BPF will not forge a formal alliance as yet.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma remarked, "From today, we have admitted Bodoland People's Front as one of the partners in the Assembly. We will have total floor coordination with Bodoland People's Front as well as they will sit with the ruling party's portion in the Assam Assembly. That friendship will be confined to the Assembly. At a political level, we have not taken such a decision."

"This decision has been taken at the level of the Legislative Party. So it will not be that BJP and BPF have formed an alliance. But BJP Legislative Party and BPF Legislative Party will work together. On this, we have taken the consent of UPPL. They have also no objection to this formation. So, the total strength of BJP and its friendly Legislative parties will be 82," the BJP leader added. 

NDA retains Assam

The 15-year tenure of Tarun Gogoi as the Chief Minister of Assam came to an end in the 2016 Assembly polls with BJP winning 86 seats against the 26 seats won by Congress. While BJP contested 92 seats, it allocated 26 and 8 seats to Asom Gana Parishad and the United People's Party Liberal respectively. On the other hand, Congress has formed a grand alliance with BPF, AGM, AIUDF, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML), RJD and JPP. 

However, the opposition tie-up proved to be no match for NDA as the latter managed to retain power in the state. As a part of the ruling alliance, BJP, AGP and UPPL won 60, 9 and 6 seats respectively. As far as Mahajot is concerned, Congress secured 29 seats followed by AIMIM, BPF and CPI(M), whose candidates won in 16, 4 and 1 constituencies respectively.

Most of the prominent candidates including CM Sarbananda Sonowal, Himanta Biswa Sarma and AGP president Atul Bora won their seats with a convincing margin. But Assam Congress chief Ripun Bora suffered a shock defeat in Gohpur.