Bodo party snaps ties with Congress in Assam

Guwahati, June 26 (IANS) After the debacle in the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress in Assam Thursday received another setback after its long-time ally Bodoland People's Front (BPF) snapped ties with the ruling party.

The BPF's decision to withdraw support from the Congress, however, would not affect the ruling party as it has 78 legislators on its own in the 126-member assembly.

Political observers, however, feel that the BPF's move might affect the ruling party ahead of the 2016 assembly polls.

"The decision was taken at the party's central working committee meeting held in Kokrajhar today (Thursday). The committee unanimously decided to withdraw support from the Congress," BPF chief Hagrama Mohilary said at a press conference in Kokrajhar.

He said the BPF's minister in the Gogoi government Chandan Brahma and Parliamentary Secretary Rihon Daimary would resign.

"We thought an alliance with the Congress would benefit the people of Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts (BTAD). However, we realised that we have failed to provide basic security of life and property to the people living in the area, despite being a partner in the government.

"We also realised that the Congress never cooperated with us, and only indulged in ridiculing our party," Mohilary said.

Party spokesman Prabin Bodo had earlier said it will not be surprising if the BPF allies with the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the 2016 polls.

The BPF is the ruling party in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) that runs the administration in the BTAD's four districts - Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang and Udalguri.

The BPF won 10 seats in the 2006 assembly polls and decided to support the Congress, which won 56 seats. The Congress had then accommodated three BPF legislators in the ministry.

In 2011, the Congress continued the alliance with the BPF despite winning 78 seats.