Votes in favour of BJP, allies has brought permanent peace in Bodoland, Himanta Sarma said (File)
Peace has come "permanently" to the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) like a daughter-in-law who has just moved in to her marital home, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said today as he urged the people to repose their faith in the ruling BJP alliance once again ahead of a bypoll in the state.
"Just as a buwari (Assamese for daughter-in-law) comes permanently to her new home after her wedding, lasting shanti (peace) has come to Bodoland Territorial Region of the state... We will work together to ensure that this peace remains and development takes place," Mr Sarma said.
Mr Sarma, who was addressing an election rally for the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) candidate in Tamulpur, said that votes in favour of BJP and its allies in the state has brought permanent peace in the BTR. Bypolls for five Assembly seats of the state are scheduled for October 30 and counting of votes will be held on November 2.
The chief minister said a few youths who had continued to carry on in the path of violence have also now returned to the mainstream. "There is no sound of guns in BTR anymore; permanent peace and harmony have been established... After the peace agreement between All Bodo Students Union, National Democratic Front of Bodoland and the government last year, there has been no violence in BTR."
Ten years ago no one would have thought that BJP flags would be waving in BTR and that the BJP, UPPL, AGP will come together to form the government, he added.
Peace and development in BTR have been made possible by "just one push of the finger" - to vote for the BJP-led alliance.
He said, "This paribartan (change) has come through just a vote. No one has to agitate anymore or take up guns for their rightful demands. Just one push of the finger is enough to bring the change."
Assuring that all pre-poll promises of development will be kept by the NDA in the state, Himanta Sarma announced that a new bridge will be constructed over the Pagladia River at Khairani in the Tamulpur constituency.
Another bridge over the same river at Jartaluk is nearing completion and the work for a medical college and hospital in the town will commence shortly. Tamulpur will itself become a full-fledged district by Republic Day next year, he added.