Assam polls: Asom Gana Parishad plans to have friendly contest in six seats against BJP

GUWAHATI: The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Asom Gana Parishad plan to hold friendly contest in a few seats in Assam.

Under the alliance arrangement, AGP was allotted 24 assembly seats but AGP later announced that there would be friendly contests in Kalaigaon, Naobachia, Algapur, Goalpara (West), Hajo and Mahmora.

BJP asked AGP to reconsider its decision for it was not the part of the deal. BJP state unit president Sarbananda Sonowal had said, "it will better for alliance partners to adhere principles of alliance."

Now BJP leaders are mounting pressure on the party to contest the Guwahati West seat that was allotted to the AGP as part of the seat-sharing arrangement.

Senior BJP leader and aspirant for the Guwahati West seat told ET, "friendly contest will ensure that chances of AGP candidate Ramendra Narayan Kalita winning is reduced. It will be like giving walk over to the Congress."

He said, "I have placed the matter with party leaders in New Delhi, I am expecting positive outcome. Every seat is important and we cannot allow to give away even a seat."

AGP president Atul Bora stuck to the party stand that it would contest some seats ‘friendly mode’ against the BJP.

"To defeat Congress we will have friendly contest in some seats. Even the three parties, AGP, BJP and Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) will jointly campaign. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will campaign in my constituency of Bokakhat on March 26," Bora added.