Guwahati: The BTAD Co-ordination Committee of the Assam Congress ruled out any pre-poll alliance with other political parties and decided to field its own candidates in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

Committee president Durga Das Boro informed this at a news conference organised by the BTAD Co-ordination Committee of the PCC at the Congress headquarters here on Thursday.

According to Boro, this decision was taken keeping in mind the faith of the people in the BTAD on the Congress as an alternative to the Bodoland Peoples' Front (BPF), a political party in alliance with the ruling state BJP.

The Hagrama Mohilary-led BPF is in charge of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), which administers to the BTAD area.

The BTAD consists of Kokrajhar, Baksa, Udalguri and Chirang, carved out of seven existing districts - Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup, Darrang and Sonitpur - comprising various protected tribal belts and blocks in the state.

Boro said, "PCC president Ripun Bora conveyed the decision of the party to field our own candidates in the BTAD districts in front of the four general secretaries and top office-bearers of the BTAD districts. There has been breakdown of the state machinery and deterioration of society during Mohilary's stint in the government. Corruption is rife. People of different communities are disgruntled and suspect each other. We want all people, Bodos and non-Bodos, to live in peace and harmony. The Congress has emerged as an alternative to the BPF and the BJP. People don't want an alternative person, they want an alternative party."

"All those seeking development are joining our party. Two elected members of the Council Legislative Assembly (MCLA) belonging to the BPF have joined and others have expressed a desire to join. Mohilary had shown dreams of a model BTAD but not even a matchbox-making industry was set up during his rule," added Boro.

Committee convener Biswajit Ray said, "Lok Sabha MP Naba Hira Sarania has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the BTAD. He was made MP to capture the BTC but he divided the members into two factions. People hoped that gun culture will disappear from BTAD but Sarania did not raise the matter in Parliament. Sarania had promised ST status to the Koch-Rajbongshis but has done nothing."