Special Correspondent
GUWAHATI: The dream of a new Bodo regional Party - Bodoland People’s Progressive Front (BPPF) - to capture power of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) has hit a roadblock with the influential All-Bodo Women Welfare Federation (ABWWF) deciding not to campaign for candidates of the new party for the May 13 election to the tribal council.
The decision was in protest against non-inclusion of even a single woman candidate in the list of 37 candidates already announced by the second largest regional party of the State.
The ABWWF has also directed two of its members from the central committee to quit as a mark of protest, said Kananbala Basumatary, president of the federation.
The BBPF was formed in Kokrajhar on April 12 at the behest of the All-Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU). Ms. Basumatary said the ABWWF had played a crucial role in the statehood movement spearheaded by the ABSU from 1987 to 1992, which was renewed in 1996 but called off after the signing of a new Bodo accord between the Centre, State and the erstwhile BLT that paved the creation of the BTC under provisions of the Sixth Schedule.
``It was very unfortunate that the BPPF leadership failed to acknowledge the role played by Bodo womenfolk in the statehood movement and subsequently in creation of the BTC and formation of the new party.
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