Hagrama Mohilary Rises Again in Bodoland

The Bodo heartland has spoken, and the verdict is loud and clear — Hagrama Mohilary is back. In what is being seen as a remarkable political resurgence, the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) has secured enough seats to form the next BTC government, marking the return of its charismatic chief after five turbulent years out of power.

This comeback is not just a story of electoral arithmetic — it is a story of trust, identity, and self-rule.

The Rise and Fall of Pramod Boro

In 2020, the signing of the BTR Accord was hailed as the dawn of a new era. Pramod Boro, once a firebrand leader of the separate Bodoland statehood movement, was seen as the torchbearer of that hope. Riding on a wave of public optimism and backed by the BJP’s might from Dispur and Delhi, his United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) unseated Hagrama Mohilary’s 15-year regime.

But five years later, the ground reality is different. The very people who trusted Boro to safeguard Bodoland’s autonomy and implement the BTR Accord are now disillusioned.

BTR Accord implementation remains less than 50% complete. Promises of empowerment and autonomy were met with a steady erosion of self-rule. Decisions that once were taken in Kokrajhar were now dictated from Dispur and Delhi — something that Bodo voters were unwilling to accept.

Pramod Boro’s increasingly close ties with the BJP also unsettled many. His critics accused him of turning UPPL into BJP’s mouthpiece, compromising the region’s autonomy. “Is Pramod Boro still a UPPL leader or just BJP’s spokesperson?” became a common question in Bodo political circles.

Hagrama’s Appeal: Autonomy First

Hagrama Mohilary may have been accused of corruption during his long tenure, but one thing voters respected was his fierce protection of Bodoland’s autonomy. Under his leadership, Delhi and Dispur were kept at bay, and BTC’s decisions were largely made locally.

In contrast, the last five years saw what many called “outsourcing of power” to state and central authorities. For Bodo voters, this was not just a political issue — it was about survival of their identity.

Grassroots Resentment and Land Fears

The discontent was not just political — it was deeply personal. Land allocation to corporate projects and fears of outsiders gaining a foothold in the Bodo heartland triggered a sense of insecurity. Indigenous residents worried about losing their land and identity under a regime that, in their view, was too close to BJP’s top-down governance model.

A Campaign of Contrast

While UPPL focused on highlighting development work and its partnership with the BJP government, Hagrama and BPF ran a campaign that appealed to sentiment — the promise of restoring Bodoland’s dignity and autonomy.

In rallies, Hagrama openly claimed his party would win 25 seats — and voters made his words prophetic. His message was simple: under BPF, BTC’s power will stay in Bodo hands.

Political Significance Beyond BTC

The outcome of this election will have ripple effects far beyond Bodoland. It is likely to reshape equations in other autonomous councils of Assam and could have a bearing on the state’s 2026 Assembly elections.

For Pramod Boro, the loss is a serious setback. UPPL, which had won 12 seats in 2020, struggled to cross even double digits this time. BJP maintained its ground but could not rescue its ally. Congress, meanwhile, continued its irrelevance in Bodoland, failing to register a single serious contest.

Hagrama Mohilary’s return to power is not just a political victory — it is a symbolic one. It is a reminder that for the Bodo people, autonomy matters more than development schemes, more than alliances, and more than party politics.

Yet, there is an open question — will Hagrama, who once kept Delhi at a distance, now warm up to the BJP in a post-poll understanding? The BPF supremo has already hinted that he is a “pragmatist” who will work with anyone who ensures benefits for Bodoland.

For now, though, the Bodo voters have sent a message that cannot be ignored — power and self-rule must remain in their own hands.

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