Bullets to Ballots: 5 Insurgents turned Politicians from Northeast

Democracy always throws up a quandary for society at times-unlike in the rest of the country (Phoolan Devi being an exception ) the northeast has thrown up quite a few former insurgents who have given up their life in the jungle and accepted indian democracy – here are some of the leaders who once lived by the gun and now under the rule of law ……

#1 BK Hrangkhawl

The Former TNV supremo and now the President of INPT waged the war against the state for the indigenous Tribals of Tripura. After coming overground in 1987 he has successfully contested elections and is still considered a key player in the state of Tripura.

#2 Hangrama Mohilary

Alias Hagrama Basumatary is the Chief Executive Member of Bodoland Territorial Council but he is also known as the chief of the BLTF. He became the Chairman of the Bodoland Territorial Council after signing the Memorandum of Settlement with the Government of India on February 10, 2003. Consequently, Hagrama was elected as the chief of BTC which comprises twelve other executive members. He remains the chairperson of Bodoland People's Front.

#3 Julius Dorphang

The Chairman of the HNLC surrendered after coming out of his camp from Bangladesh. Julius Dorphang contested the 2013 Meghalaya Assembly elections and won comfortably from Mawhati Assembly Constituency. While he has come overground his onetime comrades such as commander in Chief Bobby Marwein still remains underground.

#4 Pu Laldenga

A Sepoy in the Indian Army, Laldenga later worked as an Accounts Clerk in the Government of Assam. Disappointed by the Government's indifference to the severe famine in the Mizo district in the late 1950s, he rebelled against the State. As a leader of the Mizo National Front (MNF), he led a secessionist war seeking Mizo territory's independence from India.  The guerrilla movement lasted for sixteen years till the Mizoram Accord was signed in 1986, by which he became the Chief Minister. He won the first Mizoram Legislative Assembly election under statehood in 1987, and continued at the Chief Minister office for another year. He died of lung cancer in 1990 but will forever remain as the first insurgent who went on to become the Chief Minister of a State.

#5 Hira Saranya

He is perhaps the least known of the lot but importantly today is an MP in the current Lok Sabha. He is an MP representing the Kokrajhar constituency in Assam. Earlier Saraniya was the commander of the 709 battalion of ULFA. He was said to be one of the most dreaded militants in Assam. He hails from Dighalipaar village under Tamulpur police station in Baksa district of Assam. He joined the outfit in 1990 and was once allegedly named 'diamond' by none less than the erstwhile king of Bhutan when ULFA had their camps in the neighbouring country.

(TNT News)