A fresh political twist is unfolding in Assam's Bodo belt just weeks before the Assam Assembly by-election scheduled on April 9, with the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) releasing a list of seven candidates that has triggered intense speculation within the ruling alliance.
At the centre of the unfolding drama is Pramod Boro, UPPL chief and newly elected Rajya Sabha MP, who has decided to contest from Tamulpur. His opponent is none other than Biswajit Daimary, one of the most influential Bodo leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the current Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly.
The contest is politically loaded. Tamulpur is widely considered Boro’s political backyard, while Daimary—originally from Paneri—has been one of the tallest Bodo faces of the BJP in the region. With UPPL entering the fray aggressively, Daimary now faces what many observers describe as one of the toughest electoral battles of his career.
What makes the situation even more intriguing is the timing. Boro was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha only recently, with the support of the BJP’s central leadership. Yet the UPPL chief is now directly challenging a senior BJP leader on the ground. Political observers say the move carries strong elements of pressure tactics within the alliance framework.
Adding another layer to the unfolding developments, UPPL has reportedly written to the BJP’s national leadership seeking clarification on whether the party continues to treat UPPL as part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) arrangement in Assam’s Bodo areas.
Taken together, the release of the seven-candidate list, Boro’s entry into Tamulpur, and the direct confrontation with Daimary suggest that something serious may be brewing in Bodo politics. Whether this is merely strategic positioning ahead of the April 9 vote or the beginning of a deeper realignment within the NDA’s Bodo power structure will become clearer as the campaign intensifies.
BREAKING: UPPL Candidate List Released for 7 Seats Ahead of Polls