Assam Cabinet Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that along with United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) and Gana Surakha Party (GSP), the BJP will stake a claim to form next Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in the region.
"United People Party Liberal, Gana Surakha Party, and BJP alliance has the majority. We are going to stake a claim to form the next BTC. All the three-party has chosen UPPL's president Pramod Boro as their leader, so obviously, he will be next BTC chief," said Sarma.
After the announcement of BTC results, UPPL, GSP, and BJP have officially entered into an alliance, he said. The ruling Bodoland People's Front (BPF) has won 17 seats while UPPL got 12 seats in the BTC polls. The BJP won 9 seats.
Congress and Gana Suraksha Parishad managed to get 1 seat each. Since the formation of BTC in 2003, it has been governed by the Bodoland People's Front.
The BPF and UPPL are considered rivals in the Bodo-dominated areas.
While talking about the ongoing alliance with BPF in BJP-led state government, Sarma said, "We have entered into an alliance with BPF for five years and BJP very much willing to continue the alliance till the end of the fifth year, I mean whatever commitment we have made, we want to fulfil."
UPPL's president Pramod Boro said, "We want illegal weapon and violence-free society and will work till the region becomes arms-free."
The elections in 40 constituencies in the region were held in two phases on December 7 and December 10 while the results were declared on December 12.
Meanwhile, UPPL has requested BJP President JP Nadda to include them in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
( With inputs from ANI )
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