AGP-BJP joining hands?

Are AGP and BJP joining hands again?

Although officially the AGP has set up a seven-member committee to decide their future course of action in the Lok Sabha Election, but the AGP has internally geared up for another alliance with the BJP.

Top AGP sources today confirmed to Pratidin Time that three seats have been offered, they are Tezpur, Koliabor and Barpeta besides a Rajya Sabha seats.

The AGP, barring Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, are always inclined towards the BJP and only the CAB mess had seen them out of the BJP fold.

The AGP sources confirmed that without the BJP, they are going to have a tough time in the election.

The BJP sources have also confirmed that all the ground works have been completed and the AGP will have an alliance with them.

BJP wants Moni Madhab Mahanta, the AASU leader and brother of Kesabh Mahanta to contest from Koliabor constituency for AGP so that Gaurav Gogoi of Congress can be given a tough fight in the traditional Congress stronghold.

The BJP's strategy is to retain seven seats, add Diphu and Silchar before taking a direct shot at Kolibaor and Barpeta through an alliance with the AGP.

For Barpeta, Gunin Das should be contesting for AGP while in Tezpur, Birendra Prasad Baishya is the likely candidate.

Officially, AGP general secretary (administration) Dr Kamala Kalita told this newspaper, following the party's central executive meeting last evening, that the issue of Lok Sabha elections was discussed at the meeting. But it could not arrive at a decision as to whether it should enter into an alliance with some parties or go it alone in the Lok Sabha elections.

Therefore, the meeting formed a seven-member committee to suggest the strategy of the party in consultation with the party district committees and leading personalities of the State, for the Lok Sabha elections. Party general secretary (election) Ramendranarayan Kalita has been named convenor of the committee. Other members of the committee are – Atul Bora, Keshab Mahanta, Phanibhusan Choudhury, Dr Kamala Kalita, Birendraprasad Baishya and Pradip Hazarika. The committee has been asked to place its suggestion in this regard at the earliest, said Dr Kalita.

Notably, all the members of the Committee are interested to go for an alliance with the  BJP.