GUWAHATI: The coalition of BJP, United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) and Gana Shakti Party (GSP) in Assam on Thursday won the composite floor test in the autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
The floor test was ordered by the Gauhati High Court on Tuesday. In the 40-seat council, 22 elected members lent their support to the coalition, headed by UPPL chief Pramod Bodo, by raising their hand.
However, the proceedings were mired in a controversy with the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) deciding to move the court again. The party claimed the pro-tem Speaker did not follow any procedure.
The BPF had sought voting through secret ballot. When it was not entertained, the members of the party raised a protest in the House by shouting slogans alleging the murder of democracy.
The BJP-UPPL-GSP coalition, which struck a post-poll alliance, had formed the new executive council last week and appointed Pramod Bodo as the BTC’s chief executive member (CEM), Gobinda Basumatary as the deputy CEM and three others as executive members.
However, BPF chief Hagrama Mohilary and six of his party colleagues had filed a writ petition in the court challenging the constitutional validity of the appointments. Alleging violation of rules under Election Rules, 2004, they contended that since the BPF had emerged as the single largest party by winning 17 seats, it should have been invited by the governor. The BTC falls under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and the governor is its constitutional head.
After winning the floor test, Pramod Bodo slammed the BPF for creating “violence” during proceedings in the House.
“They (BPF) didn’t allow peaceful conduct of oath-taking ceremony in the House today. They had unleashed violence and hatred in the BTC over the past 17 years,” he said.
The new BTC chief said it was “people’s victory” and it would be a people’s government.
“There will be democracy. We all have to work together to wipe off the undemocratic forces. Our coalition government will establish peace. Every community will get equal rights and respect. Our priority will be to solve the problems of the poor, irrespective of communities, in our region,” he added.
The BTC, created by the Central government in 2003 as a political solution to the Bodo agitation for a separate state, administers four districts such as Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, and Udalguri. The BPF had ruled the council all these years.