<p>The ruling BJP in Assam is trying hard to convince the two allies, Bodo People’s Front (BPF) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL)--the rivals in Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), to remain in the NDA and contest the ensuing Assembly elections in seat sharing arrangements.</p><p>The BTR has 15 Assembly constituencies (out of total 126) and Bodo community voters play crucial role in deciding the fate in at least 10 other seats.</p><p>The BJP and UPPL had contested the 2021 Assembly elections in seats sharing arrangements, months after it dumped BPF as an ally leading the Hagram Mohilary-led party to join the Congress-led coalition. UPPL won five Assembly seats in BTR and led the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) with BJP as an ally till September last year. The equation in Bodo heartland, however, changed after BPF stormed back to power in BTC by defeating BJP and the UPPL. BJP was quick to get Hagrama's BPF back into the state Cabinet as the party looked back to its popularity in the run up to Assembly polls, slated in March-April. </p><p>This left Pramod Boro-led UPPL upset with the party even reportedly engaging in talks with the Opposition Congress for a possible alliance for the Assembly elections. </p><p>Sources in BJP, however, said BJP's central leadership is in favour of having both BPF and UPPL as allies. "Our central leadership is in talks with both Mohilary and Boro regarding seat sharing arrangements. We want to work together with both the parties so that the two Bodo Accords signed in 2003 and 2020 can be fully implemented," a source said.</p><p>The BJP is trying hard to keep both UPPL and BPF in its fold in order to keep NDA's future intact in the Bodo-dominated seats and thereby disallow Congress's foray into BTR, where the party is yet to make any headway. </p><p>BPF chief Mohilary, however, has made it clear that his party would not enter into any coalition for the BTC. "We may contest the Assembly polls together as partners of NDA, but never in BTC polls," Mohilary said. </p><p>Sources in UPPL said everything depends on the number seats BJP offers to it for the Assembly polls. </p>
<p>The ruling BJP in Assam is trying hard to convince the two allies, Bodo People’s Front (BPF) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL)--the rivals in Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), to remain in the NDA and contest the ensuing Assembly elections in seat sharing arrangements.</p><p>The BTR has 15 Assembly constituencies (out of total 126) and Bodo community voters play crucial role in deciding the fate in at least 10 other seats.</p><p>The BJP and UPPL had contested the 2021 Assembly elections in seats sharing arrangements, months after it dumped BPF as an ally leading the Hagram Mohilary-led party to join the Congress-led coalition. UPPL won five Assembly seats in BTR and led the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) with BJP as an ally till September last year. The equation in Bodo heartland, however, changed after BPF stormed back to power in BTC by defeating BJP and the UPPL. BJP was quick to get Hagrama's BPF back into the state Cabinet as the party looked back to its popularity in the run up to Assembly polls, slated in March-April. </p><p>This left Pramod Boro-led UPPL upset with the party even reportedly engaging in talks with the Opposition Congress for a possible alliance for the Assembly elections. </p><p>Sources in BJP, however, said BJP's central leadership is in favour of having both BPF and UPPL as allies. "Our central leadership is in talks with both Mohilary and Boro regarding seat sharing arrangements. We want to work together with both the parties so that the two Bodo Accords signed in 2003 and 2020 can be fully implemented," a source said.</p><p>The BJP is trying hard to keep both UPPL and BPF in its fold in order to keep NDA's future intact in the Bodo-dominated seats and thereby disallow Congress's foray into BTR, where the party is yet to make any headway. </p><p>BPF chief Mohilary, however, has made it clear that his party would not enter into any coalition for the BTC. "We may contest the Assembly polls together as partners of NDA, but never in BTC polls," Mohilary said. </p><p>Sources in UPPL said everything depends on the number seats BJP offers to it for the Assembly polls. </p>