The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Assam has finalised a seat-sharing arrangement with its ally, the Bodoland People’s Front, for the upcoming Assembly elections expected to be held in April.
The agreement covers the 15 Assembly constituencies in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). However, the BJP has not reached a similar seat-sharing understanding with another Bodoland ally, the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL).
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters on Monday that the BPF would contest 11 of the 15 seats, while the BJP would field candidates in the remaining four.
“Since the BPF is the largest political party in Bodoland, it has been decided that they will contest 11 seats,” Sarma said.
He added that if the UPPL wished to form an alliance, it would have to do so with the BPF on those 11 seats rather than with the BJP. “As we are contesting only four seats, there is no scope for a seat-sharing arrangement between the BJP and UPPL,” the Chief Minister stated.
Meanwhile, the UPPL has announced that it will contest the election independently. Party president and former Chief Executive Member of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), Pramod Boro, said the party would field candidates in all 15 constituencies in the BTR.
The 15 BTR seats are considered crucial for the NDA, especially amid signs of anti-incumbency against the BJP, which has been in power in Assam since 2016. Opposition parties outside the NDA have a relatively weak presence in the region, which is administered by the BTC.
The BTR includes the districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Tamulpur and Udalguri.
Until late last year, the BTC was governed by a coalition of the BJP and the UPPL. However, the BPF staged a comeback by winning 28 out of the council’s 40 seats, regaining control of the council.
Sarma also said that the BJP’s seat-sharing arrangement with another ally, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), was almost finalised.
“We have already informed our central leadership about the seats that can be allocated to the AGP. Once we receive approval from Delhi, we will officially inform them,” the Chief Minister said.