Two former militants, who had shunned violence and joined the peace process, are looking to enter Parliament this time from Assam.
While Ulfa commander Heera Sarania will contest the polls from Kokrajhar parliamentary constituency as an Independent candidate, another former militant-turned-businessman Hari Prasad Dihingia is all set to enter politics from lakhimpur constituency on an Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) ticket.
Hailing from Dighalipaar village under Tamulpur police station in Assam’s Baksa district, Sarania (48) was the commander of Ulfa’s 709 battalion. Sarania used to supervise most of activities of the outfit in lower Assam till he surrendered and joined the pro-talk faction in 2011.
The other reformed rebel, Dihingia, on the other hand, hails from lakhimpur and he had surrendered responding to the peace process initiated by the State Government in early 1990s and joined the national mainstream. Dihingia has entered business since then, which is now reportedly spread to many areas of the State.
While Dihingia was offered a ticket by the AGP from lakhimpur, Sarania will contest the polls as an Independent candidate from the Kokrajhar parliamentary constituency. Sarania is supported by Abodo Suraksha Samiti (ASS), a non-Bodo organisation in Assam Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Area districts (BTAD).