Non-Dimasas To Shun Polls

Haflong, Mar 15 : Just three weeks before the first phase of polling in Assam, politics in the troubled Dima Hasao district took a new turn today with non-Dimasas deciding to boycott the polls to teach the Congress “a good lesson”.

The open platform of non-Dimasas of the hill district — Indigenous People’s Forum (IPF) — finalised its decision in a sitting yesterday of going for “no vote” in place of projecting a non-Dimasa candidate either as an Independent or from a political party.

The decision, however, may have come as a jolt for the AGP’s declared candidate I. Zeme, a non-Dimasa and a senior member of the forum. Zeme might face expulsion from the forum if he still decides to contest and submits his nomination.

“In earlier sittings, we kept two options open before us — an acceptable person as an Independent candidate or poll boycott. The former was cancelled keeping in mind the views of our sister organisations,” A. Langthang, the forum’s chief, said over telephone.Non-Dimasas of the hill district had floated the forum two years back, with an aim to pressure Dispur to accord a prestigious status to the minority tribes of the district. The forum was also strongly against renaming of North Cachar Hills district as Dima Hasao.

Since June 2010, the forum had continued its democratic struggle, demanding a separate district for non-Dimasas, complete with a separate autonomous council.

“It is the Congress which betrayed us despite our people’s unconditional support and loyalty to the party. As many as 12 communities were living in the district peacefully; but the Congress gave the district a Dimasa name. If it could give us that in return for our loyalty, why can’t we go against it to teach the party a lesson?” Langthang reasoned.

Haflong is the only Assembly seat in the district, and senior Congress leader G.C. Langthasa has been winning from this seat since 1983. He lost the seat only once to Samarjit Haflongbar in the 1996 Assembly elections.

A forum source said they were not bothered about who won the seat this time, as long as Langthasa learned from this experience.After the Dimasas, Zeme Nagas, Kukis, Hmars and Karbis are the most influential tribes in the hill district, while Baites and Hrankhols have a microscopic presence.

“This year, along with Langthasa, former ASDC legislator Samarjeet Haflongbar and former ASDC Rajya Sabha member Prakanta Warissa were two strong contenders from the Congress. The decision of the Congress high command to project Langthasa as party candidate and the forum’s decision to boycott the polls are some bad signs for the party ahead of the election. It would be a tough job to retain the Haflong seat this year,” said a source close to Langthasa.