BPF Invites Tejaswi Yadav As Chief Guest On Bodoland Accord Day

The Bodoland People's Front (BPF) has invited Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Tejashwi Yadav to be the chief guest for Bodoland Accord Day celebrations on February 10.

It may be mentioned that even though BPF have severed ties with the BJP in Assam after BTC elections in December last year, it still remains an ally in the Assembly. RJD on the other hand is a bitter political enemy of the BJP.

The RJD is planning to contest between 25 and 30 seats in Assam in the upcoming polls. It won 75 seats in Bihar last year to become the single largest party.

"Since BTC was created on February 10, 2003, the day is celebrated every year as Bodoland Accord Day by BPF. This year also BPF is going to celebrate… at Bishmuri in Kokrajhar district, with a gathering of lakhs. I would like to request (that) you kindly grace the programme as Chief Guest," the BPF's letter to Tejashwi Yadav, written by leader Hagrama Mohilary, said.

"Since the creation of BTC, the BPF – a regional political party – ruled BTC till 2020. During this period the BPF could, in a real sense, create a peaceful atmosphere.. bring the people closer to each other and work for accelerated development," the letter said.

In 2003, Mohilary, who was an ex-member of the Bodoland Liberation Tigers (BLT), laid down arms to sign the accord that created the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

The BPF walked out of the alliance with the Congress in 2015, and formed alliance with the BJP in 2016 Assam polls; the BJP-led alliance had won. Ahead of last year's Bodoland council elections, however, the BJP decided to go solo and also not extend the alliance with the BPF; it rather chose politician Pramod Boro's UPPL as it's partner for Bodoland.

"Fourth BTC general election was held on December 10, 2020. In this election the BPF won 17 of 40 seats. However, despite winning only nine seats the BJP formed the government forcefully by horse-trading…compelling UPPL (12 seats) and two others to join them (and) disrespecting the mandate of the people. The people of Bodoland stand against discriminatory, communal, and religious fundamentalist organisations like BJP," Mohilary wrote.