NEW DELHI, Nov 19 - The BJP central leadership convened a crucial meeting on Friday with the Assam BJP leadership to firm up a strategy for the ensuing Bodoland elections and the Assembly polls scheduled to be held early next year.
The high-level meeting scheduled to be held at the BJP national headquarters is likely to be attended by BJP national president JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and senior BJP office bearers, while the Assam BJP team will be headed by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, BJP state president Ranjit Kumar Dass and North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor and state minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, besides top state party office bearers.
According to sources, the meeting is likely to take a call on the proposal to forge an alliance with the UPPL, formally dumping the BPF. Senior state BJP leaders, including Himanta Biswa Sarma, have given enough hints in public meetings indicating that their alliance with BPF may end. While UPPL leaders like Promod Boro said they are open to the proposal to have an alliance with the state BJP.
BPF leaders and former BTAD chairman Hagrama Mohilary have openly attacked the BJP leadership in the State. The BJP has also taken away an influential set of BPF leaders including Rajya Sabha MP Biswajeet Daimary and MLA Emmanuel Mosahary and other senior leaders of the party.
Elections to the 40-member Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), earlier deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be held in two phases on December 7 and 10.
Elections will be held in constituencies falling under Udalguri and Baksa districts on December 7, while the seats in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts will go to polls on December 10.
Meanwhile, the BJP leaders are also likely to review the Assam Assembly poll scenario. The political impact of the Congress party�s formal alliance with the AIUDF, which is likely to polarise the electorate to an extent, is likely to be discussed and an appropriate strategy is expected to be firmed up. Also, the formation of several new regional outfits is likely to be reviewed.
The BJP�s stand on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act is one of the thorny issues before the leadership. Though the Central leaders like Shah have been openly announcing the implementation of the CAA, the NDA government at the Centre is yet to notify the rules for its implementation.
The last date of submission of the rules to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Subordinate Legislation expired on November 3. The parliamentary committee vets the rules and gives the go-ahead before the Act can be formally notified for implementation.
