The Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) and the Sanmilita Janagosthiya Oikya Mancha, a conglomerate of 35 ethnic organisations, termed the Bodo pact signed between Bodo stakeholders, the Centre and the Assam government on January 27, “arbitrary, unconstitutional and incomplete”.

Addressing a news conference at a hotel in Tangla town of Udalguri district on Sunday, adviser to GSP and Sanmilita Janagosthiya Oikya Mancha, Brajen Mahanta, questioned the authenticity of the accord which, he alleged, was signed without taking into confidence the non-Bodos who had been living as third class citizens in the Bodo belt.

The non-Bodo population is more than 73 per cent comprising the Koch-Rajbongshis, Bengali Hindus, Rabhas, Muslims and Adivasis.

Mahanta said: “The pact has no package on hopes and aspirations of the non-Bodo population who have been dominated and their basic rights, including land rights, were curtailed by the BPF government.” He added that the “power-wielding pact” had granted more administrative and financial autonomy to the leaders of hardcore Bodo nationalism.

Mahanta asked why were the villages comprising non-Bodo population who form the majority, were not excluded despite Gauhati High Court’s directive as the pact would not be of much help for the non-Bodo people.

He alleged that there was glaring presence of illegal firearms with the surrendered insurgent groups which had deposited only a handful of firearms to the government.

Mahanta said if voted to power the GSP would seek review of the Bodo accord to ensure that the rights of every ethnic community, residing in the Bodo belt, are duly addressed.

Saying the GSP would put up candidates in all the 40 seats in the ensuing BTC polls, he said they were confident of forming the next government by winning at least 30 seats. “So far, we have finalised 33 names and the next and final list of seven will be announced before March 17,” he said.

Alleging that the BJP, BPF and UPPL are trying to field certain candidates to divide the non-Bodo voters, Mahanta said: “They are up in arms to divide the non-Bodo voters in the constituencies where our candidates have high chance of victory. However, we are confident that people will never be influenced by their promises.”

The BJP maintains its alliance with the BPF in Dispur, but in BTC polls it has not openly declared its ally as it is open to both the BPF and the UPPL. But the GSP is determined to fight alone.”

Lambasting the ruling BPF in the BTC, Mahanta alleged misappropriation of public money.

Earlier, the GSP and the Sanmilita Janagosthiya Oikya Mancha had announced Kokrajhar MP Naba Sarania as its candidate for the BTC chief’s post.