Assam Elections: AGP to contest alone after informal talks with BJP fail

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has ruled out any electoral alliance with BJP, Congress or AIUDF and said it was ready to contest coming assembly elections independently.

"During our informal talks with the BJP on seat sharing, we had sought 48 of the 126 Assembly seats for the upcoming elections. But they agreed to leave only 15/16 seats. That is insulting to us," AGP president Atul Bora said on Thursday. "We as a regional party, wanted to keep together the votes opposed to the ruling Congress. But BJP did not give us that opportunity", Bora told PTI.

"Our poll alliance interest was not for seat sharing alone but was issue based for a common minimum programme in the interest of the state and the indigenous people. But BJP has come away from its promises given to the people", he said. "The BJP has also violated the Assam Accord. We had wanted the Accord to be implemented in toto. Our workers and people were upset that the BJP has taken away our people to their party," he said referring to some of their leaders who joined the saffron party.

"In view of all these, our General Council decided yesterday not to have poll alliance with the BJP and to contest on our own. We are confident to have good results", the AGP president said. Asked if the AGP would have post-poll alliance with BJP, Bora said, "It is too early to comment on it." He said, there have been media speculations that AGP may go with Congress or AIUDF for the elections. "But AGP is not going with either of them. We have been always opposed to the Congress and our secular ideology is opposed to that of the AIUDF".

After the general Council decision, Bora said, the AGP leaders have been asked to prepare the party to fight the Assembly elections on its own.