Congress in alliance talks with miffed BJP ally Bodoland People’s Front (BPF)

Guwahati: The Congress is in talks with the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), which is currently a BJP ally in the ruling government, for a possible alliance to fight this year’s assembly polls.

The BPF is particularly miffed with the BJP as it had won more seats in the recent Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections but is unable to rule as the BJP has lent support to the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), thereby helping it secure a majority. This has spurred the BPF to weigh ties with anti-BJP parties for the assembly polls.

Infact, Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had recently said, “Together with UPPL, we will contest the assembly polls in Bodoland. In February we will announce seat-sharing with UPPL,” clearly showing their preference to the UPPL, and not BPF.


A senior Congress leader, who did not want to be named, told ET, “We are in talks for an alliance with BPF for the 12 seats in Bodoland. We had worked together in the past and it was only prior to the 2016 assembly polls that BPF parted ways and joined hands with the BJP.” Outside Bodoland, Bodo votes are the determining factor in at least three seats.

A senior BPF leaders said, “We had informal talks with the Congress, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Left parties, Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and Raijor Dal on possible political understanding for the elections…We may go for seat adjustments and support candidates depending upon their winnability. The idea is to back anti-BJP parties.”

A senior BPF leader Khampa Borgoyary told ET, “Talks are on at different levels and a formal stand will be made on February 15 and 16”.

The BPF has also invited RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav as the chief guest for the Bodoland Accord Day on February 10 in Kokrajhar in Assam.