News Analysis India

Tag: United People

  • After four-time MLA Majendra Narzary, now another Assam legislator dies of COVID

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: United People’s Party Liberal MLA Leho Ram Boro died of COVID-19 at a hospital here on Saturday, the second sitting legislator from Assam to succumb to the infection in less than a week, a doctor at the medical facility said.

    Boro, 63, was admitted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital on Thursday after he tested positive for novel coronavirus.

    “His condition deteriorated since Friday night. He suffered a cardiac arrest and died of COVID today,” the doctor of the state-run hospital said.

    The first-time UPPL legislator is survived by two sons.

    Four-time Gossaigaon MLA Majendra Narzary died due to post-COVID complications on Wednesday.

    Boro defeated his nearest rival of Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) candidate Rangja Khungur Basumatary by a margin of over 32,000 votes in Tamulpur constituency in the recently concluded assembly elections.

    Boro and Narzary were elected to the assembly from constituencies in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

    In a condolence message, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “I deeply mourn the untimely demise of Tamulpur MLA Leho Ram Boro. He was a dedicated politician and his going away is a big loss for the state.”

    Sarma directed ministers U G Brahma and Ashok Singhal to be present at the funeral as representatives of the state government.

    Boro’s last rites will be conducted with full state honours.

    Former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also expressed his “deep anguish at the untimely demise of the UPPL legislator” and said he will be remembered for his community services.

    Bodoland Territorial Council chief Pramod Boro also condoled the demise of the legislator and said his death was a “great loss for the Tamulpur region and the entire UPPL family”.

  • BJP sensed defeat as its ally promises to give jobs to surrendered ultras in army: Kharge

    The saffron party has not named incumbent Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal as its CM face since the BJP is scared of being asked about promises its government did not fulfil in five years, he said.

  • Assam election: UPPL, BFP and Raijor Dal announce candidates list for third phase

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI/KOKRAJHAR: The United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), an ally of the ruling BJP, the Bodo Peoples Front (BPF), a part of the Grand Alliance of eight parties, and the newly floated Raijor Dal have announced the list of candidates for the third phase of Assam assembly polls on April six.

    The UPPL announced its second list of eight candidates which includes former Rajya Sabha MP, founder UPPL president Urkhao Gwra Brahma from Chapaguri (ST), prominent businessman Manaranjan Brahma from Kokrajhar West (ST) constituency and former ABSU general secretary Lawrence Islary from Kokrajhar East (ST) constituency.

    The other UPPL candidates include Somnath Narzary from Gossaigaon, Jayanta Basumatary from Sidli, Phanin Boro from Bijni, Leho Ram Boro from Tamulpur LAC and Bhupen Boro from Barama (ST), party general secretary Maoti Brahma Hazoary said on Tuesday.

    The UPPL had earlier announced its first list of two candidates – Gobinda Chandra Basumatary from Udalguri and Ratendra Daimary from Majbat.

    BPF Chief Hagrama Mohilary also announced its second list of candidates and these include sitting MLAs Pramila Rani Brahma from Kokrajhar East, Rabiram Narzary from Kokrajhar West, Majendra Narzary from Gossaigaon, Minister Chandan Brahma from Sidli, Kamalsing Narzary from Bijni, BPF general secretary Prabin Boro from 62 Barama, former MLA Hitesh Basumatary from Chapaguri and Ramdas Basumatary from Tamulpur constituency.

    The BPF had earlier announced the names of four candidates which include minister Rihon Daimary from Udalguri, Durgadas Bodo from Kalaigaon, Karuna Kanta Sorgoyari fron Panery and Charan Boro from Majbat.

    The newly floated Raijor Dal announced a list of five candidates and these include Nazrul Islam from South Salmara, Rasul Haq from Dhubri, Abdur Rezzak Hussain from Gauripur, Hemant Kumar Sut from Jalukbari and Nagen Chandra Das.

    The party has nominated 37 candidates for all three phases of polls in the state.

    Elections to the 126-member Assam assembly will be held in three phases on March 27, April one and April six.

  • NDA partners appeal to workers for united fight in Assam assembly election

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: NDA constituents in Assam on Sunday appealed to workers to help each other to ensure the victory of the BJP-AGP-UPPL alliance in the wake of protests by a section of supporters after announcement of seat-sharing and ticket distribution in the poll-bound state.

    Addressing a joint press conference here, the presidents of the three parties accepted that ground level workers are “slightly dissatisfied” which is “natural” in an alliance.

    “Workers of every party want leaders to contest from their areas. They also want inclusion of more candidates from their parties. But in an alliance, we have to accept give- and-take understanding,” BJP Assam chief Ranjeet Kumar Dass said.

    The aim of the BJP-led alliance is to win over 100 seats in the election to the 126-member assembly and it will be achieved with the help of its allies — the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL), he said.

    “I appeal to all BJP workers to help the AGP in their 26 seats and UPPL in their eight seats, which were allotted as per the understanding. BJP workers should consider AGP and UPPL as one party and help them,” Dass said.

    Workers of the saffron party and the AGP have protested in over 10 places across the northeastern state following the announcement of the seat-sharing arrangement among the NDA partners and publication of the first list of BJP candidates.

    Already many leaders have switched their loyalty from the BJP to the Congress and from the AGP to the saffron party while several others are planning to do so in the coming days.

    Dass said, BJP workers are dedicated and the dissatisfaction of some of them due to ticket distribution will not have any impact on the poll outcome.

    AGP president Atul Bora said, the party joined hands with the BJP to defeat the Congress-AIUDF alliance and that is why all his party workers should work for the victory of NDA candidates in Assam.

    “After Independence, the Congress was in power for the maximum number of years in Assam and it ruined the state. So, people gave us a chance in 2016. If we get one more term, then Assam will be among the top states in India,” he added.

    UPPL chief Pramod Boro said, peace has returned to Bodoland areas because of the NDA government in the state and winnability is always more important than a particular individual.

    The Congress has formed an alliance with the AIUDF, BPF, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML), and the Anchalik Gana Morcha (AGM) against the ruling BJP-led NDA.

    The first phase of polling in Assam is on March 27 for 47 seats, second on April 1 for 39 seats, and third on April 6 for 40 seats.

  • Assam polls: Akhil Gogoi’s party proposes to field united opposition candidate against BJP

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: Jailed anti-CAA activist Akhil Gogoi has appealed to all the opposition parties to unitedly give only one candidate against every BJP nominee to defeat the incumbent government, newly floated Raijor Dal said on Tuesday.

    Gogoi, president of Raijor Dal even offered not to contest the polls to unite the opposition against the BJP.

    Addressing a press conference here, Raijor Dal Working President Bhasco De Saikia said,”According to Akhil Gogoi, the strategy adopted by the Congress-led Grand Alliance is not sufficient to defeat the BJP.

    “We have to have an understanding on every seat so that there is only one candidate against the BJP.”

    He, however, clarified that Raijor Dal is not going to join the Grand Alliance, but only proposing a broad-based understanding to defeat the BJP-led NDA.

    “We cannot join the grand alliance till the time AIUDF is there in the grouping. We believe that AIUDF is also a communal force and complements the BJP on many issues,” Saikia said.

    Raijor Dal has formed an alliance with another newly formed regional party Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and the two parties have announced not to join the grand alliance.

    The Congress, which was in power for 15 years in Assam since 2001, has formed a grand alliance with AIUDF, CPI, CPI (M), CPI(ML), BPF and Anchalik Gana Morcha (AGM) to fight the upcoming assembly election against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

    The BJP will be going to polls with the allies-Asom Gana Parishad (agp) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL)- its partner in the Bodoland Territorial Council.

    Of the total 126 seats in Assam Assembly, elections to 47, mostly in Upper Assam, will be held on March 27, while 39, in Barak Valley and Central Assam, will go to polls on April 1 and voting in the remaining 40 seats in Lower Assam will be held in the final round on April 6.