GUWAHATI: Union home minister Amit Shah will lead the state BJP in discussions with regional political parties to re-package the alliance for the 2021 assembly election due in April during his visit to Assam on December 26.
The party has alliance with four regional parties — Bodoland People’s Front, Asom Gana Parishad, Tiwa Aikya Mancha, Rabha Joutha Sangram Samiti and Ganashakti, which was forged in 2016 for five years. After the just-concluded BTC election, the alliance configuration has changed. While BJP’s relation with BPF has strained, it has found a new partner in United People’s Party Liberal.
“The home minister will be attending an official programme at Amingaon where he will distribute assistance to 8,000 naamghars under the state programme, lay the foundation stone of Guwahati’s second medical college and hospital, launch the renovation work of Batadrava Than and launch the construction of 10 new law colleges in the state,” Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Sarma added that the home minister will also later meet all the allies of BJP. “He will also address the core committee meeting of state BJP and is likely to have a meeting with the chief minister, party president and some senior leaders,” Sarma added.
A source said the meeting between Shah and BJP’s allies will be of utmost importance ahead of the assembly polls.
“BJP’s target is to win over 100 seats along with its allies and so we say BJP+ is 100+. The alliance will be in a new package with omission and addition. Then there is also the key subject of seat sharing formula between the allies and the broad guidelines are likely to be discussed,” the source added.
It is not clear whether BPF leaders will be invited by BJP for discussions with Shah after the bitter rivalry between two parties in the BTC election. BPF’s three cabinet ministers in the collation government continue to remain in their posts despite fighting the BTC polls as rivals. BPF leader Hagrama Mohilary has hinted that the alliance with BJP was made in New Delhi and hence he would wait for the decision from BJP’s national leadership.