The Congress in Assam has ordered cattle fodder for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s metaphorical cow — ally United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) —ahead of the by-elections to five Assembly seats on Saturday.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had likened the UPPL to a milch cow while campaigning for its candidates in two constituencies under the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). UPPL rules the BTC in alliance with the BJP and the local Gana Suraksha Party. It is also a constituent of the three-party government headed by the BJP in Assam.
“You will obviously buy a cow that gives milk, and not one that doesn’t in the market. Voting for Congress, AIUDF [All-India United Democratic Front] or ‘nangol party’ [a reference to plough, the symbol of Bodoland People’s Front] is like buying a cow that does not yield milk because it is not in power,” the Chief Minister said at an election rally a few days ago.
“But if you feed the tractor [UPPL symbol] which is in power, you can get 26 litres of milk from your cow,” he added.
Congress Legislature Party leader Debabrata Saikia responded sarcastically by ordering 4 kg of cattle fodder each online to be delivered to UPPL chief Pramod Boro, who also heads the BTC, and State BJP president Bhabesh Kalita “to solve the problem of milk in Assam”. The consignment is expected to reach Mr Boro and Mr Kalita by November 7.
In separate letters addressed to the duo, Mr. Saikia recalled the Chief Minister’s appeal that a cow, if provided with fodder, would yield a certain quantity of milk for people to drink. He “lauded” the idea in a State where “many families are not able to offer nutritious food to their children” for various reasons.
“I am offering 4 kg of cattle fodder to each of you in response to the CM’s call. I appeal to the well-wishers of Assam to send fodder for the use of the members of your parties,” Mr. Saikia wrote.
He also hoped every family in the State could drink enough milk and prepare ‘payosh’ [dessert] with the subsidised rice that the government provides to beneficiaries.
