Assam polls: BJP tie-up takes toll, AGP splits down the middle

GUWAHATI: AGP on Tuesday suffered a vertical split over its alliance with BJP , with those against the tie-up floating a new outfit called AGP-Ancha likatabadi Mancha. This may upset the saffron party's effo rts to wrest reins from Cong ress, ruling Assam since 2001.

The new faction, headed by AGP's ex-youth wing chief Sunil Rajkonwar, will contest 47 of the 126 assembly seats -23 more than what AGP has got in its partnership with BJP. Ex-ministers Thaneswar Boro and Bhaben Barua were named AGP(A)'s advisers.

"We were hurt after top AGP members, defying the general council's decision to not go ahead with any national party , opted to tie up with BJP. By doing so, they dishonoured the martyrs of the Assam agitation and neglec ted the sentiments of the peo ple of the state," Rajkonwar said in Guwahati on Tuesday "We want to uphold the morale of the people who advo cate regionalism," he added. Although AGP had earlier said it would not ally with BJP, it did a volte-face and offended the party's district-level workers. According to the alliance, AGP will contest on only 24 seats. The skewed arrangement further angered workers of a party that has ruled twice earlier under Prafulla Kumar Mahanta.

"As of now, we will contest 47 seats. Several other AGP members are willing to join us. We're financially weak so we can't fund too many candidates. We are hopeful we will get the support of the people," Rajkonwar added.

AGP , which formed the government in 1985 following the six-year-long Assam agitation, first split in 1991 when several senior members, the party general secretary and AGP Union ministers included, formed Natun Asom Gana Parishad. In 2000, it split once again after more senior members quit to form Trinamool Gana Parishad. Again, in 2005, ex-CM Mahanta formed his own party , AGP (Progressive), after being expelled from AGP .