
GUWAHATI: Peace has been the greatest dividend of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) peace agreement signed in 2020, and holding on to it will be the biggest challenge for any political party that forms the next government in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
The Centre had signed the BTR peace accord with some insurgent groups and the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU). Pramod Boro, the then ABSU president, was an architect of this pact. He is now the Chief Executive Member of the autonomous BTC as well as president of the political outfit United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL).
The BTC, currently ruled by the BJP-UPPL combine, is expected to go to polls, possibly in September. Peace remains unpredictable in BTR, as evidenced by violence and unrest in the past despite the signing of earlier peace agreements.
The BTR peace accord, however, has stood the test of time. Over the past five years, there has not been a single major incident of violence in the BTR, which comprises the five districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Tamulpur and Udalguri. The BTC administers these districts in western and northern Assam.
The BJP has decided to contest the elections independently, as it did in 2020 when it did not have any pre-poll alliance with any party. This decision has left the UPPL with no option but to contest on its own strength. Similarly, the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) and the Congress, which is seeking to grow in the region, will also go solo.
For the BJP, which has previously worked with the BPF in the Assam government, this move appears to be one of political convenience. Its post-election alignment—either with the UPPL or BPF—will depend on the results. The party has kept its options open.
The BTC was created under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution following a peace pact signed between the Centre, the Assam government and the erstwhile insurgent group Bodo Liberation Tigers in 2003.
The BPF, formed primarily with former rebel leaders, remained in power until the 2020 polls. During its 17-year rule, it worked with both the Congress and the BJP in the state government. However, peace remained elusive, with the BPF’s reign marked by multiple ethnic clashes.
According to Pramod Boro, the pre-2020 BTR is vastly different from the post-2020 BTR.
“The BPF worked in partnership with two national parties but peace did not return to Bodoland. The BPF could not shoulder its responsibility. There was no stability, and people were divided along community lines,” Boro told this newspaper.
Stating that the BPF had a policy vacuum, he said his predecessor in the BTC, Hagrama Mohilary—who is a former rebel leader—did not have any vision.
“Despite aligning with two national parties, he could not bring any change in Bodoland. We are happy that we are on the right track although we could not achieve a 100% success so far,” the BTC chief further stated.