Guwahati, Feb. 18 :    Guwahati, Feb. 18:  The All-Bodo Students' Union (Absu) has decided to work towards increasing political representation of the Bodos in the Assembly as well as Parliament in a bid to fulfil its goal of a separate state. This new strategy to carry forward the statehood movement was adopted at the organisation's 33rd annual conference which concluded at Barama in Nalbari district on Friday. 'From past experience, we have realised that in parliamentary politics, numbers matter a lot. Unless smaller nationalities like the Bodos acquire larger political strength inside parliamentary bodies, their aspirations would remain unfulfilled no matter how strong their mass movement may be,' newly-elected Absu advisor Urkhao Gwra Brahma said. The Centre has already made it clear it could do nothing unless the Assembly passed a resolution favouring further bifurcation of the state. This is one of the main reasons behind the Absu's new strategy. Brahma, the former Absu president, said the organisation was willing to enter into electoral alliance for the forthcoming Assembly polls with any regional or national party which was interested in finding out an 'honourable solution' to the Bodoland problem. The Absu and the Bodo People's Action Committee combine has already decided to back independent candidates in as many as 31 Assembly constituencies of the state. Brahma, however, made it clear that a commitment on the statehood demand of the Bodos would not be a pre-condition for electoral tie-ups. 'We will judge whether a certain political party is keen on finding an honourable solution to the demand for a separate state. At this moment, our priority is to increase the numbers inside the Assembly,' Brahma added. Pointing to the difficulties posed by the 'numbers game', Brahma said Lok Sabha MP Sansuma Khunggur Bwiswmuthiary, who commands support of the Absu-BPAC combine, was planning to bring a private member's Bill in the budget session. However, whether the Bill would be allowed to be tabled was uncertain, he added. 'A separate state of Bodoland is the ultimate goal of the Bodo people. But we want to be practical,' he added. On the ongoing peace talks between the centre and the Bodo Liberation Tiger, Brahma said the Absu would welcome whatever decision was arrived at by the two sides. 'There is no point in opposing any decision agreed by the two sides. We are not going to oppose if the government agrees to concede more than a separate state as has been demanded by the militant outfit National Democratic Front of Boroland,' he added. The NDFB is fighting for an independent Bodoland outside the country.