Assam Polls: BPF Moves SC To Postpone Tamulpur Polling

Just two days before the third phase of assembly polls, Bodoland People's Front (BPF) moved the Supreme Court on Sunday seeking postponement of polling in Tamulpur after its candidate, Rangja Khungur Basumatary, left the party and joined the BJP after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations.

BPF chief Hagrama Mohilary wrote to Election Commission on Friday and asked for permission to change BPF's candidate for the Tamulpur seat.

Tamulpur will go to polls in the third and final phase on Tuesday (April 6).

"Since the candidate nominated by my party has changed his political allegiance barely a few days before polling through illegal inducements including bribery, he is no longer entitled to receive the votes under the BPF symbol," Mr Mohilary said in his letter.

Terming it as an "act of fraud", Mohilary said that his defection violates the "core requirement of fairness in elections".

"… in the interest of free and fair elections… this honourable commission is requested to consider permitting the BPF to immediately change its candidate from Tamulpur… and to allot the party symbol to a new candidate, so as not to deny voters…. the right and freedom to vote," he said.

Earlier, Mohilary also wrote to request the cancellation of polling and that an FIR be filed against BJP strongman Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who were present when Basumatary joined the BJP.