The coordination committee of four NDFB factions on Friday called off its proposed function to celebrate “34 years of struggle of NDFB” during an emergency meeting at Barama in lower Assam’s Baksa district.

Though the committee said the programme, scheduled to be held at Conon Fwthar in Kapurpura near Udalguri town on Monday, was cancelled owing to “unavoidable” reasons, insiders claimed it could be linked to NDFB (R) chief Ranjan Daimari being sent back to judicial custody on Thursday.

The four NDFB factions had planned the function to chalk out their future plans.

The All Bodo Students’ Union (Absu) and former Rajya Sabha MP Urkhao Gwra Brahma-led United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) were also invited to the meeting. NDFB leaders are reportedly planning to contest the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) polls, scheduled to be held in April.

NDFB (Progressive) general secretary Gobinda Basumatary told reporters after the meeting: “We believe the high court would consider extending his bail during the next hearing on February 25.”

He said the NDFB would be forced to stage a protest if Daimari’s bail was not extended.

Daimari was asked to surrender by Gauhati High Court on Thursday after his interim bail period of four weeks ended. Subsequently, he surrendered before the central jail authority here. Daimari was granted interim bail on January 24 by the court for taking part in the signing of the Bodo Peace Accord on January 27 in New Delhi.

Reiterating general amnesty to NDFB members, including Daimari, the committee members blamed the Centre for its double standards.

“How can Daimari be sent back to jail when it was important for him to stay out and work for establishing peace in the region? Such a development will give wrong impression to the public who are hoping for lasting peace in the region,” Basumatary said.

Several NDFB leaders, like NDFB (S) chief B. Saoraigwra, M. Fwilao and N. Dansrang, were present.

Additional reporting by a staff reporter in Guwahati