Nagaon, March 8: Less than a month before polling, politics in Assam’s troubled Dima Hasao district has taken a new turn, with non-Dimasas planning to either boycott the polls or field an Independent candidate.

The polling for Haflong, the only seat in the district, is scheduled for April 4.

A platform of non-Dimasa organisations — Indigenous People’s Forum — in its recent conclave near Haflong town, decided on the two options, one of which would be finalised in the organisation’s next sitting on March 12.

“Both options seem good enough to teach Congress a good lesson,” a forum source said. The non-Dimasas of the hill district floated the forum for protecting the rights of minority tribes of the district. It was strongly against renaming of NC Hills as Dima Hasao district and later demanded bifurcation of the district and renaming of the non-Dimasa dominated part as NC Hills district. It also demanded a separate autonomous council for non-Dimasas.

“Our leadership met the government representatives at different times for a sincere solution to our legitimate demands. But all our attempts proved futile,” the source said over telephone today.

The forum’s chief, A. Langthang, however, refused to comment on the issue till the next conclave. “We will make our stand clear only after all our leadership, including sister organisations, take a final and acceptable decision on the development,” he said. The Dimasa-dominated hill district has 120,000 voters, of which 46 per cent are Dimasas. Zeme Nagas, Kukis, Hmars and Karbis are some of the other tribes with sizeable populations. Baites and Hrankhawls are at the bottom of the list with a microscopic population.

“After shifting of the Autonomous State Demand Committee leadership to the Congress to form the autonomous council, the regional party’s influence weakened in Dima Hasao district. Right now, the Congress and BJP seem to be the most influential political parties here. If the non-Dimasas project an Independent candidate, the fight might be triangular here,” said Rathin Hojai, a Maibong villager.

A Congress source, however, said poll boycott or fielding of an Independent candidate by the non-Dimasas might not harm the party at all. “What is going to harm us is the internal clash between the two ticket aspirants. Both Samarjeet Haflongbar and sitting legislator Gobinda Chandra Langthasa are strong candidates. Newcomer Prakanta Warissa, formerly from the State Demand Committee, is also a good leader. If the clash among the leaders reaches the grassroots-level cadres, it might bring about a division in votes,” the Congress source said.