Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has praised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for bringing a major shift from violence to peace in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). Speaking at a series of public meetings ahead of the upcoming Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections, Sarma said that under BJP’s leadership, the region has seen a transformation unmatched in recent memory.“Earlier, people were forced to vote under the shadow of guns. Now, leaders come with folded hands seeking votes. This is the biggest achievement of our peace push in BTR,” Sarma said while addressing a gathering. He added that the BJP has turned BTR into a model of development and harmony over the past five years.The Chief Minister, who has been touring across various parts of BTR since Sunday, said the elections used to be marred by fear and violence. “There was a time when AK-47s ruled the streets during elections. Today, peace rules Bodoland,” he remarked.
Highlighting the government’s work, Sarma pointed out progress made in areas like healthcare, infrastructure, education, and drinking water supply. He said the state government’s consultative approach had helped resolve longstanding issues and ensured benefits reached all communities.Speaking about land encroachment issues in the BTR, Sarma clarified that the decision to act must come from the council. “If the BTC seeks our assistance, we are ready to cooperate,” he said, while also stressing the importance of granting land rights to indigenous communities in tribal belts and blocks through mutual understanding.With elections for the 40-member BTC expected in September, political activity in the region is gaining momentum. While the BJP currently shares power in the council with its allies — United Peoples’ Party Liberal (UPPL) and Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) — Sarma hinted that the BJP may contest the upcoming elections independently. “We will decide by August 20 how many seats we will contest,” he said.
Responding to talks of a possible alliance between UPPL and the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), Sarma welcomed the development. “If they come together, it will help the state government speak to one party rather than two. That’s good for governance,” he noted.The Chief Minister also had a message for the BJP’s ally, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). He suggested that AGP should field candidates only in constituencies where it has a realistic chance of winning. “Just fielding candidates to defeat BJP doesn’t help anyone,” he said.In the last BTC elections held in December 2020, the UPPL had won 12 seats, BJP nine, and GSP one. The BPF, which ruled the council for three straight terms earlier, had emerged as the single largest party with 17 seats, while the Congress had managed to win one seat. That lone Congress member, Sajal Kumar Sinha, joined the BJP this week and was expelled from the Congress.