BPF lone MP resigns from Rajya Sabha; will join BJP Sunday

BJP ally Bodoland People's Front's founding member and MP Biswajit Daimary resigned from Rajya Sabha Saturday and announced he will join the saffron party on Sunday. Daimary, who had declared on November 11 that he will resign from the party, also announced the BPF MLA Emmanuel Mosahary will also join the BJP in the coming days.

"I have resigned from Rajya Sabha today and will join the BJP tomorrow. As I was elected from BPF, so I decided to resign from the post. I have sent my resignation letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu," Daimary said at a press conference. Resigning from the primary membership of the BPF just days before the elections of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), where BPF and BJP are fighting against each other, he said he will start working for the saffron party from Sunday onwards.

"Thousands of people will leave the BPF and join the BJP in the coming days. Emmanuel Mosahary will also join the BJP. And many other central committee leaders from the BPF will also join BJP," Daimary said. When asked about the rift in the alliance between the two parties, he said there is no alliance in BTC and both the parties are contesting separately, while the BJP has clarified that there will be no alliance for the Assembly polls after this term.

"It is an irrelevant topic to talk about the alliance between BJP and BPF. I don't think there will be any friendly relation between BPF and BJP after seeing what is going on in BTC now. All parties take decisions for the benefit of the respective parties," Daimary said.

The election to the 40-member BTC will take place in two phases on December 7 and 10, while the counting will be on December 12. Hagrama Mohilary-led BPF has been ruling the BTC since its first election in 2005. BTC was formed in 2003.

BJP is running its first state government in Assam in alliance with the BPF and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). The BJP is the single largest party with currently 60 MLAs in the 126-member Assam Assembly, BPF and AGP have 14 and 12 lawmakers respectively.

The ruling coalition also has the support of an Independent MLA. The election of the Assam Assembly is likely in March- April of next year.

The 2016 elections gave a fractured mandate and no party got an absolute majority.