KOKRAJHAR, Dec 2 - With the BTC election just four days away, campaigning by all major political parties has reached a feverish pitch in the poll-bound region. While the Opposition parties are targeting Hagrama Mohilary over the alleged large-scale corruption during the last 15 years, the BPF supremo, too, is trying to put up a brave front, countering the charges and flaunting before the voters the list of developmental activities that have taken place during his reign.
Mohilary seems to be trying to recover lost ground following the defection of some party heavyweights like Member of Parliament Biswajit Daimary, even as the BPF-BJP alliance is in tatters as far as the BTC election is concerned, making it difficult for the BPF to breathe easy for the first time since coming to power after the formation of the Bodoland Territorial Council.
On the other hand, the BJP, which is fighting the BTC poll for the first time on its own, while constantly tearing into the BPF over the charges of corruption and underdevelopment, has been assuring the voters of ushering in all-round development, protecting their land rights and ensuring equitable distribution of government schemes if the BJP comes to power after the elections.
The saffron party�s star campaigner Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has relentlessly attacked the BPF over corruption, lack of development and deprivation of people of legitimate rights. He has also been stressing that with the BJP-led governments at the Centre as well as in the State, it would be easier for the BTC administration if the saffron party is given the chance to hold the reins of power.
At the same time, the UPPL, led by Pramod Boro and with a strong support from the ABSU, is hoping to win the polls with an absolute majority to effect a paradigm shift in the region�s politics so that it can address the issues that have allegedly been ignored by the Hagrama Mohilary-led BPF.
The GSP, led by Naba Sarania, seems to be banking on non-Bodo voters, particularly with a plan to restore the rights of the non-Bodos living in the region. Sarania has been making all efforts to make inroads into some pockets in the BTC area to win almost all the 35 seats where its has fielded its candidates.
The Congress-AIUDF alliance, on the other hand, is hoping to become a kingmaker in a post-poll scenario so as to attain some relevance in the new administration.
