BJP committed to peace, progress and prosperity in BTR: Himanta

Guwahati, Sep 12 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that the BJP is committed to ensure peace, progress and prosperity in a new journey for the development of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

''For the first time, the BJP is contesting the polls with the aim to win and form the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). We have got immense support from the people, as is evident from the enthusiastic response to the election campaigns of different BJP leaders, Sarma said at the release of the party's manifesto here.

Sarma said that it has already been decided that the BJP will play a significant role in the BTC polls and emerge as a strong political force in the region.

The BTR is a symbol of the aims and aspirations of 26 communities living in its five districts as well as the political aspirations of the Bodos, he said.

''We have to firmly hold the strings of harmony between these communities and show respect to art, culture and traditions of these 26 communities'', Sarma said.

He said that the Bodo Peace Accord, signed in January 2020, will be implemented fully in the next five years.

Certain administrative issues need to be resolved so that all communities can embrace the council as their own, he said.

BJP, in its election manifesto, has clearly mentioned equal rights for all communities to ensure the development of the entire BTR, Sarma said.

''BJP is committed to implement all schemes of the state government in the BTR, particularly those for women and girl students, in the backward and less developed areas," he said.

The BJP will also set up colleges in all subdivisions in BTR, set up a new campus of the Bodoland University in Udalguri and make the Tamulpur Medical College functional at the earliest, the CM said.

''BJP is also committed to build bridges over all rivers and its tributaries in BTR to facilitate connectivity, ensure constitutional safeguard of all communities and their land rights to ensure all round development of the region," he said.

He appealed to people of all communities to have faith and trust in each other to ensure BTR's progress The manifesto reflects the commitment of the BJP to bring about development in BTR in the next five years.

He urged people of BTR to read the manifesto at least once, and the BJP will make its copies available both in print as well as digitally.

''If people read this, they will realise that BJP is keen to create a new and developed BTR," he said.

He also urged members of all parties to maintain peace and harmony during the polls.

''Polls will come and go but we must ensure that harmony and peace among the communities are maintained," Sarma added.

The BTR election in languages spoken by different communities living in the region was also released on the occasion.

Elections to the 40-member Council will be held on September 22, and BJP is contesting the polls independently for the first time.

The United Peoples' Party Liberal (UPPL), BJP and Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) are alliance partners in administering the current Council.

In the last Council polls held in December 2020, the UPPL had won 12 seats, BJP nine and GSP one seat, while the Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF), which had headed the council for the previous three terms, emerged as the single largest party with 17 seats, and Congress secured one seat with its elected member later joining the BJP.

The BPF was then BJP's alliance partner in the state government, but the ruling party decided to join hands with the UPPL and the GSP to jointly form the Council. PTI DG DG RG