BJP rethinks alliance with AGP prior to LS polls

After the bitter attacks on Bharatiya Janata Party  (BJP) by Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) during the Assam Panchayat elections, BJP has made a strong case at the saffron party's national office bearers' meet in New Delhi on Thursday.

BJP insiders said the party's central leaders took feedback from the state president Ranjeet Kumar Dass during the meeting, chaired by national president Amit Shah, on whether the alliance is tenable for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

"The central committee will decide on the whether BJP will contest the assembly election alone or in alliance. But from the state BJP's side, we have detailed the way AGP campaigned against BJP despite being in alliance," a BJP leader said. Dass had earlier submitted a report to Shah saying the way AGP went against the "spirit of alliance" was not "comforting." On Thursday, the state BJP president said AGP did not respect the "purity of alliance." "It is our duty to report how AGP went against BJP despite being in an alliance. Despite all odds, BJP grassroots members put in all their efforts and helped accomplish victory in the panchayat polls," Dass said ahead of the meeting on Thursday. He also said an atmosphere of distrust between communities was created in the state. "But people of Assam did not get swayed by emotion and put their trust on BJP in the panchayat election," he added. Dass had earlier said that Thursday's meeting will chalk out strategies for the Lok Sabha polls. "After the meeting, we will start our preparations for the parliamentary polls from December 15," Dass said.

The state BJP president also said that National General Secretary of the BJP Ram Madhav will soon visit Assam and hold a meeting regarding the alliance with AGP.

The AGP has cleared their stand on breaking ties with the saffron party if the Citizenship Amendment Bill is implemented. They have also submitted a memorandum to BJP chief Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressing their opposition against the bill.