GUWAHATI, March 9: In a significant political development, former Assam chief minister and founder-president of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has decided not to contest the state Assembly elections.
The decision of the veteran politician and former All Assam Students Union (AASU) leader has been conveyed to media persons by his wife and former Rajya Sabha member, Jayashree Goswami Mahanta.
Apparently, the development is an outcome of the senior AGP leader being denied a party ticket from his stronghold, Barhampur legislative Assembly constituency in central Assam’s Nagaon district.
Mahanta has represented the seat for as many as seven terms from 1985, having served as chief minister for two terms from 1985-90 and 1996-2001, in between.
The 68-year-old leader has been unwell for some time and had recently returned from Delhi after undergoing health check-up/treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) there.
Expressing resentment over the “snub” by the regional party, Mahanta’s wife said that by denying a ticket to her husband who has kept the AGP flag “flying high” in his traditional Barhampur constituency for seven terms, the regional party has not only deviated from its own ideology but also insulted the sacrifices of the martyrs of the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
“As chief minister, Prafulla Mahanta had started the process of development in the state…having set up two flyovers in Guwahati during his tenure…. Now the incumbent government at the Centre has even started selling off Assam’s resources, be it oil or natural gas….or even the LGBI airport (to the Adani group). Surely, Prafulla Mahanta cannot join hands with people who are only interested in their posts, be it in the ministry or as chairpersons of organisations,” Jayashree Goswami Mahanta said.
AGP’s “senior” ally, BJP, for its part, has announced Jitu Goswami as the alliance’s candidate for Barhampur this time, triggering protests anger and resentment in the Mahanta camp.
Mahanta, for his part, has been resolute against CAA, a factor which could have played a part in the “snub”, one of his supporters said.
The first list of eight candidates was released by AGP on Sunday.
Earlier, there were speculations that Mahanta would revive Asom Gana Parishad (Progressive) a defunct breakaway faction of AGP and contest from Barhampur after allying with the Opposition Congress-led Mahajot (Grand Alliance).
It may be mentioned that AGP has three ministers, its president Atul Bora, working president, Keshab Mahanta and Phani Bhushan Choudhury, in the Assam Cabinet.
The trio had, amid widespread protests earlier against the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Assam and resignation demands by AGP workers and supporters, had to quit the state Cabinet.
However, nothing concrete emerged thereafter, and even after claiming to oppose CAA, the three AGP leaders have remained with their senior ally, in the government as ministers.