Assam’s Jimochhaya Peoples Party backs BJP in Deori Autonomous Council

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the JPP leaders have expressed their intention to support the BJP to ensure the overall development of the Deori community

GUWAHATI: The Jimochhaya People’s Party (JPP), which won seven of the 22 seats in the Deori Autonomous Council election in Upper Assam last week and emerged as its principal opposition party, has decided to extend support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said late on Sunday.

The BJP and its ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) retained power with 12 of the council’s 22 seats. The JPP, a small outfit of the Deori community, won seven seats, the Congress two and one seat went to an Independent candidate.

“JPP fought the election on an anti-BJP and anti-Congress plank. After a meeting with me, leaders of the party have expressed a desire to support BJP in order to ensure the overall development of the Deori community,” Sarma said after a meeting with JPP leaders in Guwahati on Sunday.

“We have decided to join hands with BJP to form the next government in DAC. JPP has decided to offer unconditional support for the greater good of the Deori people,” JPP president Mahesh Deori added.

The chief minister said the chief executive of the Deori Autonomous Council will be from the BJP. The other details of the partnership will be finalised at a later date.

Debakant Deori who won as an independent candidate from the Chichi Borgaon seat said, he too will back the BJP. “I have also decided to support the BJP. If I get a post in the DAC, it will help in addressing problems faced by people from my constituency,” he said after meeting the chief minister.

The JPP was earlier in an alliance with the Congress but accused its ally of attempting to “derail’ smaller outfits soon after the election results were announced on Thursday.