In a major setback to the Bharatiya Janata Party, one of its alliance partners Bodoland Peoples’ Front on Saturday snapped ties with it and joined hands with the Congress-led Grand Alliance.
This announcement was made by the party’s chief Hagrama Mohilary on Saturday.
The BPF, whose three ministers are still serving in the Sarbananda Sonowal government, had already broken its ties with the saffron party during the last December election for Bodoland Territorial Council. The BPF emerged as the single largest party winning 17 out of 40 BTC seats while the BJP could win only nine.
The support of the BPF was very crucial for the BJP in the Bodo dominated pockets of Assam. The BPF has 12 MLAs in the 126-member Assembly.
The BJP which won 60 seats last time also enjoys the support of 14 legislators of the Asom Gana Parishad.
The joining of Mahajath (Grand Alliance) by the BPF has come as a shot in arm to the Congress-led combination.
Assam-watchers are of the view that the Congress-All India United Democratic Front alliance is going to pose a big challenge to the BJP-AGP alliance in Lower Assam. Now that the Bodos and other regional and Left parties have joined the Grand Alliance it would be an uphill task for the National Democratic Alliance.
Meanwhile RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav is also addressing a public meeting in Dibrugarh on Sunday. He has already announced his support for Mahajath.
