GUWAHATI: Just over two months after it had snapped ties with the BJP, the regional Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has decided to contest the Lok Sabha elections in Assam together with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF).
The AGP had walked out of the BJP-led ruling coalition in Assam protesting the BJP’s bid to get the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 enacted in the Parliament. The bill later lapsed in Rajya Sabha though it had been passed in Lok Sabha on January 8 last prompting the AGP to quit ties with the BJP in Assam under mounting public pressure.
However, now with the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) lapsed, the AGP has decided to renew ties with the BJP even though the saffron party has made it clear that CAB will be back once it is re-elected after 2019 polls. The AGP has also ignored the opposition of its grassroot workers while deciding to fight election with a truck with the BJP.
The decision was taken at a meeting of senior AGP leaders including Party President Atul Bora, executive president Keshav Mahanta and others with BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav on Tuesday night. The meeting was also attended by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who had been maintaining that ties with the AGP for Lok Sabha polls was not possible because of opposition from BJP workers in Assam.
“After the discussion, the BJP and the AGP have decided to work together in the coming Parliament elections in Assam to defeat the Congress. The BPF will be the 3rd partner in the alliance,” BJP leader Ram Madhav announced on Twitter late on Tuesday night.
Ram Madhav further said that the three AGP ministers in the state cabinet have been requested to resume their charges as soon as possible.
“The decision to join the alliance was taken in the interest of the state and to ensure the defeat of Congress in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls,” said AGP President Atul Bora.
AGP leaders Atul Bora, Keshab Mahanta and Phanibhushan Choudhury met Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday morning and are likely to withdraw their resignations as Ministers.
The three had resigned in January after the AGP walked out of the BJP-led alliance following difference over the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016.
The AGP and BJP had fought the 2016 Assam Assembly polls under an alliance along with the BPF and had wrested power from the Congress, which had ruled the state for three consecutive terms since 2001.
Meanwhile , former chief minister and senior AGP leader, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has expressed his displeasure over the regional party’s decision to rejoin the BJP-led alliance in Assam ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Mahanta on Wednesday said that party leadership did not consult him before deciding to resume toes with the BJP.
“Normally, such big decisions are taken after discussion in the general house of the party. However, it was not done. I still believe that Assam needs a strong regional party and the AGP should contest the Lok Sabha polls alone,” said Mahanta.
“I am against this alliance with the BJP and I am firm on my stand. At this moment, it is difficult for me to comment on why the AGP leadership took the decision. The party leaders have taken the decision on their own. We now have to ascertain what our district committees and grassroots workers want,” he added.