ABSU to launch new party today

Less than a month before the first Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Council elections, the influential All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) will launch a new political party including all Bodo socio-political groups, thus posing a major threat for the ruling Congress in Assam.

The ABSU’s intention behind forming the new party is to keep Congress and all other parties out of power in the territorial council, constituted under provisions of the Sixth Schedule. The Council was formed after the government signed a peace accord with the Bodo Liberation Tigers in February 2003, followed by an interim executive council headed by former BLT chief Hagrama Mohilari installed last year.

‘‘The territorial council is the outcome of a long-drawn struggle and sacrifice of the Bodo people. We cannot afford to give power to those political parties which have done little for the development of the Bodo people,’’ said Rabiram Narzary, former ABSU president said from Kokrajhar.

Narzary said while all Bodo groups have been invited to a convention at Kokrajhar on Tuesday, Bodo leaders of different parties too were extended the invitation to join the new party. The state EC has fixed May 13 as the date for elections to the Council.