Clamour in Congress to end ties with BPF after deadly violence

Guwahati, May 4: The

politics is witnessing serious war of words emerging in the wake of the deadly killings of over 30 people from a minority community in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD). The State Border Area Development and Cooperation Minister, Siddique Ahmed, lashed out at the Bodoland People's Front (BPF), accusing it of fuelling the blood bath and demanded the arrest of its MLA Pramila Rani Brahma.

Ahmed, after visiting the violence-hit areas, said the violence was politically motivated and no insurgent outfit was involved in it. He said the local people had complained to him and it hinted at the involvement of the BPF. He said the state government had failed to safeguard the lives of the minority people living in BTAD and admitted that he himself as a minister had also failed, said a report in The Sentinel, a major daily in Assam. He also sought a review of the existing alliance between the Congress and BPF.

Earlier, former Congress MLA Abdul Khaleque urged his party to call off its alliance with the BPF.

2 Cong ministers and a former MLA have sought review of the alliance with BPF

On April 30, Brahma reportedly said that the BPF didn't get votes from the minority people in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections in the state.Chandan Brahma, the current transport minister of Assam, contested as the BPF candidate from Kokrajhar seat in this election.

The BPF rubbished Ahmed's claims. Its president and chief of the Bodoland Territorial Council Hagrama Mohillary said Ahmed belonged to Barak Valley and had little idea bout the problem that people faced in lower Assam. Brahma, on the other hand, said the truth would be revealed after a CBI inquiry is held. She said her April 30 statement was distorted.

Another Congress minister Rockybul Hussain also targetted Brahma's statements and said it should not be overlooked during the investigation into the killings. He said if the BPF's involvement in the killings was established, then he would request the chief minister to review the alliance.

The Congress and BPF have been coalition partners in the Assam government since 2006. Even after the Congress swept the assembly elections in 2011, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said the Congress's alliance with the BPF woudl remain intact.

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