UPPL prepares to fight all 15 BTR seats amid uncertainty over NDA alliance

Chirang, Mar 16: A day after the Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the Assam Assembly elections, the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) has indicated that it may contest the polls independently in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), potentially distancing itself from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

UPPL chief Pramod Boro, on Monday, said the party is considering fielding candidates in all 15 Assembly constituencies in the BTR.

“We have finalised candidates for most of the seats, except two or three. Our core committee meeting has concluded and we are ready to announce the candidates. Since we are not under any pressure, we are prepared to contest all 15 constituencies in the BTR,” Boro told the press.

He added that the party has received a large number of ticket requests from various communities in the region.

“There is strong demand for tickets from different communities. We are discussing these matters and once the process is completed, we will release the candidate list,” Boro said.

The UPPL’s indication that it may contest all 15 seats 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 written to the BJP seeking clarity on its status within the alliance.

“We have run the Bodoland Territorial Council in alliance for five years. As part of the NDA, we do not want to embarrass anyone. That is why we have written to the BJP seeking clarification on the issues,” he said, without confirming whether the UPPL would remain part of the alliance.

The letter, addressed to state BJP president Dilip Saikia, was sent on March 10, seeking clarity from the BJP regarding the UPPL’s position within the alliance.

While the BJP has yet to officially announce its stance, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier indicated that the BJP would not enter into a direct alliance with the UPPL for the Assembly polls.

Speaking on March 9 during the concluding day of the first phase of the “Jana Ashirwad Yatra” in Nalbari, Sarma said the BJP would contest four Assembly seats 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), not the BJP.

“The seat-sharing talks with UPPL will have to be over those 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 involves the BPF rather than the UPPL, the political dynamics in the BTR appear to be shifting ahead of the April 9 Assembly elections.