Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Assam’s Kokrajhar district, members of the All Bodo Students Union (Absu), National Democratic Front of Boroland (Progressive) and the People’s Joint Action Committee for Boroland Movement on Thursday took out a massive bike rally to celebrate peace accord with Bodo militant groups.

The Centre, the Assam government and the Bodo stakeholders signed a tripartite agreement in New Delhi on January 27.

The bike rally started at Titaguri and culminated at Simborgaon in Kokrajhar.

Modi is scheduled to visit Jangkhritai Fwthar in Kokrajhar, 236km from Guwahati, on Friday and participate in a gathering to celebrate the accord’s signing.

From across Kokrajhar and Chirang districts, over 2,000 bikers donning traditional aronai, a traditional Bodo piece of cloth, around their necks and carrying Absu flags participated in the rally and raised slogans such as “We want Peace”, “Bodoland Territorial Region Welcome” and “Narendra Modiji Welcome” among others.

Absu leader Nion Mushahary said, “We organised the bike rally to welcome the Prime Minister and other BJP leaders to the region. The long-pending political imbroglio has been resolved by the Bodo pact. Our hopes and aspirations will be fulfilled if the pact’s clauses are implemented in letter and spirit.”

Bwhwiti Borgoyary, a participant, said, “Everyone is excited to listen to the Prime Minister’s speech. We are grateful to him for uprooting insurgency, which has posed a hurdle to the growth and development of the Bodo belt, from the region.”

Modi’s visit is significant as it comes days after the agreement was signed. Also, it will be his first visit to Assam since the state witnessed widespread anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests.

A member of Absu, one of the key signatories of the pact, said over four lakh people from across Assam, especially the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts — Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri — are expected to attend the programme on Friday.

Sources said a cultural programme of various indigenous ethnic groups of Assam is being organised by the Assam government to showcase the region’s diversity on the occasion.

Assam director-general of police Bhaskar Jyoti also visited the venue on Wednesday and said the police are “confident and totally prepared” for the Prime Minister’s visit.