The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) has made exceptional gains this month in two important local council polls in Assam. The party registered a landslide victory in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) and the Tiwa Autonomous Council (TAC) polls.
What are these two Councils?
The BTC is an autonomous district council for the Bodoland Territorial Region in Assam established in February 2003. It is a self-governing body under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution which consists of four contiguous districts- Kokrajhar, Baksa, Udalgiri and Chirang. On 7th and 10th December, elections to 40 seats of the BTC were held.
The TAC is a Statutory Autonomous Council under the State Act which in constituted for social, economic, educational , ethnic and cultural advancements of the Scheduled Tribe (ST) living in districts of Assam. Polls for the 36 constituencies of the council spread across districts of Kamrup (Metropolitan),Hojai, Morigaon and Nagaon took place on December 17.
These councils have powers to make laws in their jurisdiction for the up-liftment and sustainable development of different backward communities of Assam. Their main function is to formulate various schemes or developmental projects and execute them depending on the priority.
Comparison of 2020 results with the previous years:
In the 2015 BTC elections, the Bodo People’s Front came to power by securing 20 seats, and BJP got only one seat. That time BPF was an ally of BJP in the state government. But this year, BPF contested alone and achieved 17 seats which is highest numbers of seats won individually by a party but it was not enough for the BPF to form the council. This time around, the BJP vehemently campaigned against the BPF and tied terms with the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) led by Pramod Bodo and achieved majority.
In 2015, the Indian National Congress had won 15 seats in the TAC polls, whereas the BJP secured mere three and the AGP, two seats. This time, saffron party swept the TAC polls by winning 33 seats, while the Congress won one and BJP’s ally the AGP won just two seats.
How are these two results important?
From merely securing one seat last time to nine seats in 2020 in BTC results has led to the entry of BJP in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). The Bodo accord signed earlier this year which aims in a new era of peace and development in the BTR seems to have political advantages for the BJP. It will be interesting to see whether the BTC results mark the beginning of the political end of BPF chief and an influential Bodo politician, Hagrama Mohilary, and how the new alliance of UPPL-BJP turns out in the state elections in 2021.
The TAC results too proved to be important for the BJP- three seats from last time to 33 this year. Even though the BJP won only three seats last time but it had created a huge impact on the Council as the former Chief Executive Member (CEM) Paban Manta is now a BJP member and the CEM prior to Manta, Ramakanta Deuri is now a BJP MLA.
Due to implementing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Assam, the BJP faced intense counterblast in the beginning of 2020. Many important groups and political parties hold the act to be inimical to the interests of the indigenous communities of Assam. Even after strong opposition, these two victories shows how the BJP managed to influence voters in these areas.
What do the results mean for INC?
The results of two Council polls stipulate a difficult phase for the Congress. The only Congress winner in the BTC elections, Sajal Kumar Sinha has joined the BJP. The results soon came afterward the demise of veteran Assam Congress leader and three-time CM Tarun Gogoi. In the coming elections, the Congress plans to form a grand alliance against the BJP. It has created alliance with AIUDF, led by MP and perfume tycoon Badruddin Ajmal.
But there are a lot of talks in the state that many Congress leaders might change their party to the BJP. Ajanta Neog, the Congress MLA from Golaghat is one of the names that is highly speculated currently. The Congress has removed Neog, a former minister, from an important organizational position.