Ahead of BTC polls, Mallabaruah–Mohilary closed-door meet sparks political buzz
The meeting, which reportedly lasted over two hours, was held at Mohilary’s Bathou Kherai resort in Kokrajhar
Urban Affairs Minister Mallabaruah exiting the resort after the meeting, on Thursday. (AT Photo)
Chirang, June 12: With the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections approaching, political undercurrents in the region appear to be shifting, and Thursday’s closed-door meeting between Urban Affairs Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) chief Hagrama Mohilary has fuelled fresh speculation.
The meeting, which reportedly lasted over two hours, was held at Mohilary’s Bathou Kherai resort in Kokrajhar. Though both leaders denied any political motive behind the interaction, the timing and length of the meeting have raised eyebrows in political circles.
Speaking briefly to the press after the meeting, Minister Mallabaruah downplayed the development. “I was visiting the town and decided to have a cup of tea at Mohilary’s resort. Now I have to rush to meet the district executive,” he said while making his way to his vehicle.
Mohilary, echoing a similar sentiment, insisted the meeting was purely personal. “We’ve been friends since his days in the Congress. There was nothing political about our discussion,” he said.
However, Mohilary made it clear that the BPF is gearing up for a strong showing in the upcoming BTC elections. “We’re going solo in the polls. Our position is strong, and the BJP will come second. We are confident of winning over 25 seats,” the former BTC chief claimed.
When asked about the party’s campaign strategy, Mohilary said each party was working on its own plan to maximise seats, adding that the BPF is focused on implementing its own.
Mohilary also took sharp aim at the ruling United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), accusing it of misgovernance and corruption. “There are intelligent people in UPPL, but they have failed to govern the region. Their only mission seems to be filling their coffers,” he alleged.
Predicting a poor performance for the UPPL, Mohilary said the party might end up in third or even fourth position in the polls.
Both BJP and BPF have announced they will contest the upcoming polls independently. While the BPF plans to field candidates in all 40 seats, BJP too has also decided to go solo on as many seats.
As political activity picks up in the BTC region, Thursday’s meeting—despite being labelled as “non-political”—is likely to be seen as a significant signal in the evolving electoral landscape.