Ex-Bodo militant leader wants to bring NDFB to talks

Guwahati, Sep 9 (IANS) Assam's militant-turned politician Hagrama Mohilary has sought permission from Union Home Minister Amit Shah to bring the anti-talks faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), also known as NDFB (S), to the negotiating table.

"Assam has the problem of insurgency, everyone knows that. In our Bodoland, there is this problem of NDFB faction, a group which is still hiding in the jungle. If you grant me permission, I can initiate talks and bring them to the negotiating table," Mohilary said while speaking at the 4th convention of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).

The Union Home minister was present on the occasion which was also participated by chief ministers of all the eight northeastern states.

"I have opened channel of talks with them. But I need your permission. I am confident I can bring them to the negotiating table," said Mohilary, the Chief Executive Member of Bodoland Territorial Council, a Sixth Schedule Council.

Mohilary was the head of now disbanded Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT), an armed group that fought for an sovereign Bodoland for the Bodos. In 2003, the government signed the Bodo Accord ending the violence and unrest in the area.

Hagrama Mohilary-led political Bodoland People's Front (BPF) came to power in an election to the council in 2005 and the party has been in power in the council since then. The BPF is also an alliance partner of the BJP-led government in Assam.

The BTC chief also told Shah that elections are due for the BTC in April next year and that the three parties -- BJP, AGP and BPF -- will contest the polls for council and form the next government at the council.

He said the BJP will also come to power in Assam in 2021 and that Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal should be the Chief Minister again.