Ex-militant held as he joins Assam BJP

Bijay Sankar Bora

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Tribune News Service

Guwahati, October 11

Two days after he had joined the BJP, former militant leader Mihir Garlosa was today arrested by the police from his rented residence in the city in a 2008 murder case. Garlosa, the former self-styled chairman of now disbanded Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel Garlosa faction), has been an elected member of the Dima Hasao District Autonomous Council since May 2013.

A police source said Mihir Garlosa, alias Jewel Garlosa, was today arrested in the murder case of Bijon Haflongbar, a former cadre of DHD (Dilip Nunisa faction). He is one of the nine council members who joined the BJP last Friday, virtually paving the way for the BJP to usurp power in the hill council from the Congress. Of the nine council members, eight were from the Congress and Garlosa was the sole Independent member.

The arrest happened even as the BJP was all set to stake claim to form the executive council in the hill district autonomous council in the wake of nine council members joining the saffron party.

In the last election to the district council held on May 20, 2013, the Congress had won 10 seats and the rest were won by Independents. Six Independents joined the Congress, giving it a majority to form the executive council. Three more Independents also joined the Congress on a later date. The hill district council has 28 elected members and two nominated members.

Though the BJP did not win a single seat in the council election, one Independent member Subrata Thaosen joined the party in April 2014. He was followed by six other Independents – Debolal Garlosa, Niranjan Hojai (former c-in-c of now disbanded DHD-J), Amendu Hojai, Thaisadao Thaosen, Biswajit Daulagupu and Athong Lienthang. On Friday last, eight Congress members of the council and Jewel Garlosa joined the BJP.