GUWAHATI, Nov 22 - The Congress party today said that it will play the role of �kingmaker� in the forthcoming elections to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
Addressing the media on the occasion of release of the party�s �declaration� for the BTC elections here, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Ripun Bora said, �The Congress is contesting the BTC elections in alliance with the AIUDF. We have fielded candidates in 13 seats... the AIUDF is contesting from seven constituencies. We are confident of playing a decisive role.�
He claimed that no political party will be able to secure more than 10 seats on their own in the BTC elections. �So no party will be able to form the council without support of the Congress-AIUDF alliance. We will play the role of kingmaker,� Bora said.
The elections to the 40-member BTC will be held in two phases on December 7 and December 10.
�BJP may be undertaking a high voltage campaign but people will not vote for them. The previous UPA government in the Centre gave packages for the BTC. However, the BJP has not only betrayed the BPF but the NDA government has also stopped Central funding for the BTC,� Bora said.
He also accused the BPF of failing to fulfil the aspirations of the people of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
He added that previous governments at the Centre and at the State headed by the Congress party had played major roles in eliminating insurgency in the BTR and bringing various groups to the negotiating table.
In its declaration for the BTC polls, the Congress party stated that it will work to ensure land rights for all communities in the BTR, safeguard the interests of all communities, ensure elections to the village community development councils for decentralization of power, ensure educational rights for all mediums, end discrimination in allotment of jobs and contracts, and develop tourism and sports facilities of the region, among other things.
GUWAHATI, Nov 22 - The Congress party today said that it will play the role of �kingmaker� in the forthcoming elections to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
Addressing the media on the occasion of release of the party�s �declaration� for the BTC elections here, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Ripun Bora said, �The Congress is contesting the BTC elections in alliance with the AIUDF. We have fielded candidates in 13 seats... the AIUDF is contesting from seven constituencies. We are confident of playing a decisive role.�
He claimed that no political party will be able to secure more than 10 seats on their own in the BTC elections. �So no party will be able to form the council without support of the Congress-AIUDF alliance. We will play the role of kingmaker,� Bora said.
The elections to the 40-member BTC will be held in two phases on December 7 and December 10.
�BJP may be undertaking a high voltage campaign but people will not vote for them. The previous UPA government in the Centre gave packages for the BTC. However, the BJP has not only betrayed the BPF but the NDA government has also stopped Central funding for the BTC,� Bora said.
He also accused the BPF of failing to fulfil the aspirations of the people of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).
He added that previous governments at the Centre and at the State headed by the Congress party had played major roles in eliminating insurgency in the BTR and bringing various groups to the negotiating table.
In its declaration for the BTC polls, the Congress party stated that it will work to ensure land rights for all communities in the BTR, safeguard the interests of all communities, ensure elections to the village community development councils for decentralization of power, ensure educational rights for all mediums, end discrimination in allotment of jobs and contracts, and develop tourism and sports facilities of the region, among other things.
