Lack of electoral understanding between APHLC, Congress led to BJP win — ASDC

Diphu, July 20(EMN): The Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) said the BJP winning the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) election held in June was not on their own, but due to the failure of the non-BJP parties like ASDC, All Party Hills Leaders Conference (APHLC) and Congress to come to an electoral understanding to give a united fight.

In a press conference held at the ASDC Central Committee office here on Wednesday, the publicity secretary, Daniel Teron said the refusal by both Congress and APHLC to come to an electoral understanding has catapulted the BJP to power in the Council.

Teron said the ASDC has approached both the parties for putting a united fight against the BJP by setting aside all past differences, but the APHLC and Congress have shown a cold shoulder. Because of the blunder committed by both APHLC and Congress, even ASDC was made to pay the price.

Teron also said both Congress and APHLC appear to have “dynasty mania” as is reflected by the placing of candidates in the election. Kathar has fielded from Singhason MAC constituency, while his younger brother Jonathan Engti Kathar contested from Rongkhang MAC constituency.

“The second attribution that led BJP to a massive win with no opposition was money and administrative power. There was a vulgar display of money to lure the voters in the whole election process”, Teron alleged.

He also said the APHLC has expressed that they are not going to contest until a fresh voter list of KAAC by deleting names of non-tribal communities is prepared.

“But they could not resist the lure of money and power and kept behind their ideology and principles by contesting in the election”, Teron said.

Though the APHLC has disallowed non-tribals to contest in the KAAC election, the party has started making a “honeymoon with the AJP”, the publicity secretary further pointed out.

He clarified that the oath-taking of the elected members of KAAC was done as per the MoU of 1995 which calls for defining the relationship between the Council and the Governor and also defining the role of the Governor in the functioning of the Autonomous Councils of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao and that in 1996, Paragraph 20 BB and paragraph 20 BA of the Sixth Scheduled was amended.