Seat-sharing friction with BJP pushes UPPL to signal independent Bodoland-centric electoral strategy.
UPPL chief Pramod Boro announces party will contest all Bodoland seats in Assam Assembly elections amid ongoing alliance negotiations (Photo: X)
NEW DELHI: The United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) chief Pramod Boro earlier this week announced that the party will contest the Assam Assembly elections due in mid March-April and is open to alliances with all parties except the Congress, amid ongoing NDA seat-sharing negotiations. Notably, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP is aiming to retain power, while the Congress, backed by regional allies, is seeking to dislodge the ruling party. In this political backdrop, the UPPL has decided to contest all Assembly seats in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) along with select constituencies outside the region.
“Public sentiment is clearly in favour of UPPL contesting the Assembly election. Accordingly, we have decided to contest all seats in Bodoland and a few beyond,” Boro said, asserting that the party commands strong grassroots support across the BTR.
Reiterating that the UPPL remains open to electoral alliances, Boro said consultations are underway with several political parties, including the BJP. “We are open to alliances and are holding discussions with other parties. We are aligned with the BJP at both the state and national levels until the Model Code of Conduct is announced,” he said, adding that the party is also prepared to contest independently if circumstances demand.
Sources told The Sunday Guardian that the announcement followed a stalemate in initial seat-sharing talks with the BJP. According to the sources, UPPL had demanded at least seven Assembly seats, while the BJP was reportedly unwilling to concede more than four.
“BJP has offered only four seats for the Assembly election, which is unacceptable. If the party does not revise its stand, UPPL will contest all 15 seats in the BTR and 12 to 15 seats outside the region,” a source said, attributing the impasse to the BJP’s “stubborn” approach on seat sharing.
The UPPL has clarified that it is keen to remain within the NDA, provided it is allotted a reasonable number of seats. However, the party has ruled out any alliance with the Congress, citing the latter’s limited organisational presence in Bodoland and neighbouring areas.
A senior BJP leader, meanwhile, said discussions with UPPL and the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) are continuing in an effort to keep both parties within the NDA fold. The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) is another key NDA ally, and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday that seat-sharing talks with AGP would be concluded shortly. UPPL is currently a constituent of the ruling NDA. In the 2021 Assam Assembly elections, the party won six seats and secured a vote share of 3.39 per cent under Pramod Boro’s leadership. Political analysts point out that UPPL remains a critical NDA ally due to its firm foothold in the Bodoland region, which comprises 15 Assembly constituencies. The party won six of these seats in 2021 and also holds influence in areas adjoining the BTR. Analysts further noted that ties between the BJP and UPPL have come under strain following the BJP’s re-induction of the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF)—UPPL’s principal rival in the BTR—into the state government. This development came after the BPF returned to power in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) last year, dislodging both the BJP and UPPL. As seat-sharing negotiations continue, UPPL’s eventual electoral strategy is expected to play a decisive role in shaping the political contest in Bodoland and beyond.
