BPF candidate pulls out of poll race; blow to Mahajot

Guwahati, April 1: The Congress-led Mahajot (Grand Alliance) suffered a jolt ahead of the third-phase Assembly elections in Assam scheduled for April 6, with a Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) candidate from Tamulpur constituency pulling out of the election race, and joining the BJP.

BPF is currently contesting the election in Assam as a constituent of  the Mahajot, which also has AIUDF as one of its allies.

Sources said that Rangja Khungur Basumatary had met Assam BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday night and expressed his willingness to join the saffron party as “he was not satisfied with the BPF leadership in regard to support, including financial assistance”.

“He will be supporting UPPL candidate in Tamulpur LAC, Lehuram Boro,” Sarma told the media. Tamulpur  LAC goes to the polls in the third and final phase on April 6.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress has accused BJP leader Sarma of “breaking the Opposition candidates” ahead of the polls.
In a statement, the Opposition alleged, “After openly blackmailing and threatening Hagrama Mohilary, Sarma has once again been caught in trying to break the opposition candidates. Rangja Khungur Basumatary, another BPF candidate, was missing since yesterday and later joined the BJP today.”

“Sarma, yesterday, in a tweet mentioned that he had met Basumatary. We demand that the call records of Basumatary be made public so that the people of Assam also get to know what coercion, intimidation or what proposal forced Mr. Basumatary to join hands with the BJP. This is not only an attack on the democracy but also treachery against the people of Assam,” the Congress said in the statement.

“The Election Commission has already, prima facie, found him guilty of violating the Model Code of Conduct in a separate matter. He is hell bent on betraying people’s trust and mandate,” the party said.

A delegation of Mahajot leaders will be meeting the Election Commission as soon as possible to request for disqualification of Sarma from both contesting and further campaigning in the Assam Assembly elections 2021 and deferment of elections in Tamulpur Assembly constituency,” the statement added.