Diphu June 21: As expected, Tuliram Ronghang joining BJP, and taking with him 19 Executive Committee members of the Congress–led Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, is tearing apart the Karbi Anglong District Congress.
Joy Ram Engleng, BJP MLA of Howraghat constituency and the most senior BJP leader in the district indicated the party’s positive accord in this matter. He said it is a party decision and the district BJP will abide by the party dictate. In a hurriedly convened press conference at his Diphu residence, he said the BJP government is committed to the development of all the people and shall fulfill the promises made in the party election manifesto.
Although Tuliram Ronghang has not yet spelled out any date or time of joining, according to insider information under all probability all of the Congress MACs will embrace saffron on June 23, which is Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council’s foundation day. The final go-ahead was given by Chief Minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal yesterday night after holding a meeting with senior party leaders and bureaucrats.
The fusion of Congress leaders with BJP is viewed as a strategic move by the BJP in the electoral politics of this autonomous hill district. The threat of probable amalgamation of Congress and regional party HSDC in the forthcoming KAAC election could have upset the applecart of the ruling party. This possibility has been cleverly avoided through this merger.
Some other MAC segments where Congress is still holding its ground will be annexed with ease by the BJP. The issue of rescheduling the Bodo community in the hills of Assam was resisted by district Congress and HSDP at the first stage. This new amalgamation may smooth that process without any serious problems.
Tuliram Ronghang Joining BJP on KAAC Foundation Day.
Earlier, we reported Is Karbi Anglong Congress Heading for Vertical Split? In that story, it was said that the Karbi Anglong district Congress leaders and Dr. Rongpi’s HSDC who are also part of HTPF, were opposed to the change in the scheduled tribes. They said extending that facility to the Bodo’s may be detrimental to other 6th schedule tribes in the hill districts.
