Guwahati: A day after the Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the Assam Assembly elections, the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) signalled that it may contest the polls independently in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), a move that could distance the party from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
UPPL president Pramod Boro on Monday said the party is considering fielding candidates in all 15 Assembly constituencies in the BTR. According to him, the party has already finalised nominees for most of the seats.
“We have almost finalised our candidates, except for two or three constituencies. Our core committee meeting has concluded and we are ready to announce the names. Since we are not under any pressure, we are prepared to contest all 15 constituencies in the BTR,” Boro told reporters.
He said the party has received a large number of ticket requests from various communities across the region.
“There is strong demand for party tickets from different communities. We are discussing these matters and once the process is complete, the candidate list will be released,” he added.
The indication that the UPPL may field candidates in all 15 BTR constituencies has fuelled speculation that the party may not enter into a seat-sharing arrangement with the NDA for the upcoming elections.
Boro said the party has formally sought clarity from the BJP regarding its position within the alliance. A letter to this effect was sent to State BJP president Dilip Saikia on March 10.
“We have run the Bodoland Territorial Council in alliance for the last five years. As a member of the NDA, we do not want to create any embarrassment for anyone. That is why we have written to the BJP seeking clarification on certain issues,” he said, without confirming whether the party would continue in the alliance.
The development comes after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma indicated earlier that the BJP would not forge a direct alliance with the UPPL for the Assembly elections.
Speaking on March 9 at the concluding programme of the first phase of the “Jana Ashirwad Yatra” in Nalbari, Sarma said the BJP would contest four Assembly constituencies in the BTR. He added that any seat-sharing arrangement involving the UPPL would have to be negotiated with the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), rather than the BJP.
“The seat-sharing talks with the UPPL will have to take place over the remaining 11 seats with the BPF, as there is no scope for further discussion with the BJP,” Sarma had said.
With the Chief Minister making it clear that the BJP’s seat-sharing strategy centres on the BPF rather than the UPPL, political equations in the BTR appear to be shifting ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for April 9.