Assam: In strife-torn Kokrajhar, politics trumps ethnic bitterness

Had it not been for the term ‘Bodoland’, Kokrajhar would have been one of many nondescript constituencies in Assam. The developments in Bodoland - from bloody riots that snuffed out lives of old, young and the infirm to displacement of population in thousands to decades of militancy to the demand of statehood – vaguely define Kokrajhar. And with elections around the corner, one would normally expect blood-letting in the perennially strife-torn region.

Interestingly, as the constituency prepares for polls on 24 April the mood is almost festive. The ethnic bitterness has given way to political competition, with parties busy drawing up strategies, cooking up new promises, air-brushing old ones and looking for candidates with winning prospects. Just to give an idea of the size of the Kokrajhar Lok Sabha constituency, which is reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates, it is an amalgamation of 10 Assembly segments - Gossaigaon, Kokrajhar East (ST), Kokrajhar West (ST), Sidli (ST), Bijni, Sorbhog, Bhabanipur, Tamulpur, Barama (ST) and Chapguri (ST).

Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) leader and sitting Kokrajhar MP Sansuma Khunggur Bwiswmuthiary is confident of victory again. Surely, his confidence cannot be ignored. Before winning the elections in 2009 on a BPF ticket, Bwiswmuthiary won the parliamentary polls thrice in 1998, 1999 and 2004 as an independent candidate.

“I am looking forward to a victory again. Last time, I got 4,95,089 votes which is much more than what the rest polled. This time not only my earlier voters will stay with me but also there will be an addition of one or two lakh new voters to my tally,” Bwiswmuthiary told Firstpost from Kokrajhar.

In 2009, Asom Gana Parishad candidate Sabda Ram Rabha secured 2,14,577 votes while independent candidate Urkhao Gwra Brahma, who was put up as a common candidate by a few prominent Bodo organisations bagged 30,4841 votes. Last time, the total electorate in Kokrajhar consisted of 13,77,837 voters.

Despite defeat last time, Brahma is going to contest again with support from non-political organisations.

“Five Bodo organisations have come together to support the candidature of Urkhao Gwra Brahma. These organisations are ABSU (All Bodo Students’ Union), BPPF (Bodo People’s Progressive Front), UDPF (United Democratic People’s Front), PJACBM (People’s Joint Action Committee for Bodoland Movement) and NDFB-P (National Democratic Front of Bodoland-progressive). Our main demand is security for our people and good governance. But let me also mention that we are not playing for a Bodo versus non-Bodo cause. All we want is unity among the indigenous people and we are going to campaign for our candidate in the minority-dominated areas,” said ABSU president Pramod Boro.

Boro’s comments assume significance as the BTAD (Bodoland Territorial Area Districts) saw massive riots in the summer of 2012. It allegedly involved indigenous Bodos and illegal Muslim migrants from Bangladesh. Hundreds were killed and thousands rendered homeless.

When asked why these organisations are unwilling to support Bwiswmuthiary or former Meghalaya governor and Trinamool Congress candidate Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary, Boro said, “ABSU has been associated with the polls indirectly since 1991. The other candidates may be strong but the revolutionists want someone who is connected to them to fight the elections.”

However, the critical issue of a separate Bodoland state is yet to be resolved. The ABSU chief made it clear that they are unhappy with the panel formed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to look in to the feasibility of a separate Bodoland state. “Soon after the elections are over we will go for large-scale non-violent protests seeking a separate Bodoland state. This is a 47-year-old demand and we need justice,” Boro said.

Unfazed by Brahma’s or Mooshahary’s candidature, sitting MP Bwiswmuthiary said, “There is no competition. I am way ahead. Last time too I defeated Brahma. But I feel bad for Mooshahary. The Bodo people do not want him to play the polls. I feel very sorry and bad for him.”

Mooshahary, who as an Indian Police Service officer headed the elite National Security Guards and Border Security Force apart from taking gubernatorial responsibilities later, completely rejected the idea that governors should not fight polls. “I fail to understand what is wrong in that. It is a totally wrong perception. Didn’t Nikhil Kumar resign recently as Kerala governor to fight the polls? So many people became cabinet ministers after serving as governors. The elections only enable you to work for the people,” Mooshahary told Firstpost from Guwahati.

“My aim is to ensure peace in the region which has been subjected to bloodshed so many times,” he said.

Guarantee of peace seems to be one of the key points on which the elections will be fought this time in Kokrajhar.

“My message to the people if I win, is that I will make my best efforts to help overall development, to do justice to every group and restore normalcy. My efforts will be to tighten the feeble bond among all communities in my constituency. I will also put pressure on the Centre to start a meaningful dialogue with all militant groups for everlasting peace without any delay,” Bwiswmuthiary said.

The sitting MP also appeared optimistic that the Muslims would vote for him despite the riots. “The National Investigation Agency already said that the riots were caused by the Indian Mujahideen. I am sure in my constituency the Muslims will thrive together with the Bodos and they will vote for me,” he said. However, the BPF leader did not offer any immediate solution to the critical Bodoland issue although he wanted the annual floods and continuous to be declared a national problem.

“By 2019 (that is till the next Lok Sabha polls after 2014) I am positive that there will be a lasting and amicable solution on Bodoland. I understand there is tremendous pressure on me in this regard,” he said. When asked if BPF will ally with the BJP in a post-poll scenario for a separate Bodoland, Bwiswmuthiary said, “The time and situation will decide that later. I don’t want to comment on it immediately.”