'BJP is not serious about BTC': Emmanuel Mosahary after being denied ticket

BAKSA: Peeved at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership for not giving him a ticket to contest the polls from Tamulpur, sitting MLA Emmanuel Mosahary today urged the party's leaders to allow him to contest for the Seat in a 'friendly fight' with ally United People's Party Liberal (UPPL).

Mosahary, who along with Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary resigned from the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) ahead of the Council elections, told reporters that since party workers want him to contest the polls, he wishes to file nomination on March 17 next.

The BJP has handed Tamulpur to its biggest ally in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) -- the UPPL -- with which it has formed the government in the Council after ousting the 3-term BPF-led administration headed by Hagrama Mohilary.

Asked how he is taking the disappointment of not being allowed to contest from his Constituency, Mosahary stated: " I had hoped a lot over the last one year. I have spent all my savings hoping to usher in development. Today, we have witnessed that the BJP is not too serious in the region. Despite being in the BJP, we have to play second fiddle to UPPL or some other party.

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Mosahary further appealed to the party leadership to reconsider this move and allow the candidature of party candidates, even if it is for "friendly contests."

"Not only in Tamulpur, the BJP did not get a single seat in Baksa district. Why will the BJP workers continue the campaign if this continues? This is my question and I exhort the party's leaders to consider. We have till March 19th to file the nomination and I am hoping against hope that I will soon be able to file nomination."

The former BPF leader also said that the BJP not fielding its own candidates does not bode well for the party's prospects in the future.

"The leadership should take a decision in order to keep the party alive. They should at least allow us to have friendly contests with our ally UPPL to boost the party workers' morale," he added.