The Election Commission on Sunday turned down the demand to postpone polling in Tamulpur constituency of Assam after Bodoland People’s Fron...
The Election Commission on Sunday turned down the demand to postpone polling in Tamulpur constituency of Assam after Bodoland People’s Front candidate Rangja Khungur Basumatary joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, days before voting, NDTV reported.
The Bodoland People’s Front, a Congress ally in the Assam elections, had filed a complaint to the poll body demanding suspension of elections, pointing out that Basumatary had joined the saffron party on April 1, after the deadline for withdrawing nominations for voting in Tamulpur. The Congress had also filed a separate complaint with the poll body. BPF, meanwhile, moved the Supreme Court on the matter on Sunday. Tamulpur will vote on April 6.
In its reply to Congress and BPF, the Election Commission said that it held a video conference with Basumatary on April 3, where he informed the poll panel that he had joined the BJP “without any pressure from any quarter”, The Indian Express reported.
“When the campaigning process was on, I realised that it was not possible to continue to fight in the elections,” Basumatary reportedly said. “ Hence, I willingly, without any pressure from any quarter, joined the BJP. I have not received any notice or letter from the BPF in connection with joining the BJP.”
He also said he would not contest...
