The Gana Suraksha Party (GSP) and the Jonogusthiyo Oikyo Mancha on Thursday announced Kokrajhar MP Naba Sarania as its new Bodoland Territorial Council chief candidate for the ensuing council polls.
According to the notification issued on Wednesday by the Election Commission, the polls will be held on April 4 and the results declared on April 8.
GSP adviser Brojen Mahanta said, “The process of nomination began on Thursday. We are all set to pitch candidates in all 40 seats of the council constituencies.”
The party also announced its first list of candidates finalised for the polls.
“So far, we have finalised 18 candidates. The next and the final list of candidates will be announced on March 15,” Mahanta said.
Proposed BTC chief and Independent MP Sarania said, “We have reserved 20 per cent seats for women candidates. However, the reservation may go up if more competent women candidates come up.”
Asserting that this time the GSP will secure power in the BTC, Sarania said, “None of the parties will be a factor for us. We will win the polls.”
Alleging that the BJP is attempting to pitch certain candidates to divide the non-Bodo voters, Sarania said, “The BJP is aiming to divide the non-Bodo voters of the constituencies where the GSP candidates’ potential of winning is quite high. However, they can never perform on a par with the GSP. The non-Bodo voters will neither trust the BJP nor the BPF and UPPL.”
“The BJP has not dared to declare with whom it has alliances for the polls. The party has alliances with the BPF and the UPPL. However, whatever strategy the BJP adopts, it will benefit the GSP in the end,” he added.
Stressing that the BTC polls will be a direct fight between the GSP and the BJP, the MP said, “The BJP, BPF and the UPPL have together been busy preparing strategies to defeat the GSP. However, the mandate is already visible in favour of the GSP.”
Sarania also appealed to people of the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts to maintain peace and harmony to help conduct the council polls smoothly.
