Guwahati, Jan 31 : A new political party — National People’s Party — was today floated at a meeting here by 10 organisations representing the tea tribes to “safeguard the interests of the community,” sparking concern in the ruling Congress.

The community has traditionally been a Congress vote bank and as such, the formation of a party exclusively for it could dent the ruling party’s base in the tea garden areas.

The Congress, however, tried to put up a brave front today, saying the new party would not pose any threat to it as it lacked an organisational base. “No doubt there are some genuine grievances of the tea community, but the people of the community know that it is only the Congress which can solve their problems,” Congress tea cell chief, Bhagirat Karan, said.

Another silver lining for the Congress was the absence of the powerful students’ body, the All Assam Tea Tribes Students Association (AATTSA), at the meeting held to mark the occasion.

Sources said the AATTSA was not yet fully convinced that the community would gain by severing its traditional ties with the Congress. The association will organise a convention in March to solicit “people’s opinion” before coming to a decision on the nascent party. 

The AATTSA has a very strong presence in the tea belts of Upper Assam. Another influential students’ body, the All Adivasi Students Association of Assam (AASAA), which has its base mostly in some pockets of lower Assam and central Assam, played a major role in propping up the new party.

A 51-member committee of the new party with Suresh Orang as president and Ashok Sandiguria as general secretary was also formed.

Orang is at present the president of the Kuruk Sabha, the apex body of the Kuruk sub-tribe. Sandiguria is the principal of St Paul’s School, Doolahat, in Sonitpur district.

The party has not yet decided whether to field candidates in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. 

Party sources said it has earmarked Lakhimpur, Tezpur and Mangaldoi as the three possible constituencies where it could put up candidates.

Officially, the party said it would take a call on contesting the Lok Sabha elections at its first executive meeting in Tezpur on February 15. The party will also adopt a symbol and constituency in the meeting.

“We are trying to convince the AATTSA about the need for all sections of the community to come together in the greater interest of the community,” Sandiguria said.