Congress-led Grand Alliance will perform last rites of BJP in Assam polls: BPF

Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF) chief Hagrama Mohilary on Tuesday asserted that the Grand Alliance led by "old friend" Congress will perform the last rites of the BJP-led government in Assam by winning the upcoming assembly elections.

Mohilary, whose BPF was earlier a part of the BJP-led coalition government in the state, claimed that he was "misled" by senior state minister and NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma to join the saffron party's alliance.

"It is a foregone conclusion that the Congress-led Grand Alliance will form the next government in the state and we will perform the BJP's last rites on May 2 (the day of the counting of votes)," Mohilary said in the presence of AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi at a rally here.

He asserted that all the 12 seats in the North Bank of the Brahmaputra that are among the constituencies going to polls in the first phase of the elections will be wrested by the Congress from the BJP.

"Before 2016 (assembly polls), these seats were with the Congress and it was I who ensured that the BJP wins in these constituencies. But this time, I assure that all these seats will be won by the Congress.

Read more: Congress will bring law to nullify CAA in Assam if voted to power in assembly polls: Priyanka

"The BPF was a friend of the Congress but the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor misled us. But now, we have returned to our old ally and nothing can stop the Grand Alliance under the leadership of the Congress from forming the next government in the state," Mohilary said.

He quipped that Himanta Biswa Sarma, "who is known for jumping from one party to another, should also leave the BJP as it will surely lose".

The three-time former Bodoland Territorial Council chief alleged that the BJP on one hand talks about ending corruption, while on the other, its members "are involved in all kinds of syndicates -- cow smuggling, coal and even betel-nut," he added.

"These illegal businesses take place through the Srirampur gate along the West Bengal border with the blessings of BJP leaders," he said.

"I left the BJP-led alliance and returned to my old friends as these illegal activities will defame me. We must now work towards removing the BJP from power in the state," Mohilary said.

He termed the recent formation of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) by the BJP and United Peoples' Party Liberal (UPPL) as illegal as the elected members were "locked in a Guwahati hotel and taken to Kokrajhar in a bus like prisoners for council formation".

The BPF was a part of the Congress-led alliance for two consecutive terms from 2006 but joined the BJP coalition government in 2016 after Himanta Biswa Sarma quit the grand old party to join the saffron camp.

In the previous assembly election, Mohilary's party had won 12 of the 13 seats it had contested in the 126-member house, which will go to polls in three phases between March 27 and April 6.