KOKRAJHAR: In an embarrassment to the Congress, its ally Bodoland Peoples Front in Assam on Thursday threatened to walk out of the alliance and support anti-Congress parties in the second phase of the Assembly polls in Assam.
"Though the BPF extended support to the Congress in some upper Assam constituencies in the first phase (on April 4), there is no question of extending similar support to the Congress in lower Assam," BPF supremo Hagrama Mohilary told a poll rally.
Venting his ire on APCC president Bhubaneswar Kalita, the former Bodo rebel leader said, "Due to some internal differences between Kalita and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Kalita has been trying to demoralise the BPF. This is unfriendly to the Congress-BPF ties."
He claimed that Kalita was speaking against the BPF as he wanted to be the chief minister, while the people desired Gogoi.
Addressing poll rallies, Mohilary accused Kalita of criticising the BPF without knowing the development work undertaken by it during two terms in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
Mohilary claimed that it would not be practical for any party to form government in the state without the help of the BPF.
"If necessary we will form the next government in coalition with anti-Congress fora like AGP, BJP and AIUDF," Mohilary asserted.
BPF contestant for Kokrajhar (East) and Agriculture minister Promila Rani Brahma claimed, "Congress had not got that many MLAs in 2006 and Hagrama helped to form the government. After five years they are ignoring us."
Brahma criticised Kalita for stating at a poll rally that there was no development in the BTAD area despite her as minister from the BPF in the government.
Claiming that Congress would not be able to form the next government on its own strength, Brahma asserted, "the Congress could bring about development in Assam in recent times only due to the Congress-BPF alliance."
BPF MP Biswajit Daimary told reporters "It is not a good sign. He does not want BPF in the government. If we are silent on Kalita's remarks than we will harm our own prospects in the BTAD area."
The BPF and the Congress were to have friendly fights in the elections on the understanding of forming the government together after the polls, the MP added.
To a query he said there was no misunderstanding with the Congress.
Lower Assam constituencies which go the polls on April 11 have a large number of Bodo dominated areas.
In 2006 Congress, which won 53 of the 126 seats, came to power with the help of eight BPF MLAs and five Independents.
