A CORRESPONDENT
NAGAON: Several office-bearers and members of the Hojai district committee of the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) joined the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) at a programme held at the AGP Nagaon district office on Thursday.
AGP president and minister Atul Bora and working president and minister Keshab Mahanta attended the programme while campaigning for BJP candidate Debashis Sharma, the BJP-led alliance candidate for the Nagaon parliamentary constituency by-election.
Among those joining the AGP were AJP Hojai district president Lutfur Rahman, vice-president Kutub Ali, general secretary Minhaj Ahmed, state executive member Beni Madhab Ghosh and other office-bearers and members.
Rahman said regionalism could not be protected by "riding on the shoulders of the Congress", citing it as one reason for joining the AGP.
Bora said the new entrants would strengthen the AGP's organisational base in Hojai and Nagaon. He said AGP workers were campaigning for Sharma across the eight Assembly constituencies under the Nagaon parliamentary constituency.
Bora also criticised the Congress and AIUDF, alleging that the parties were not interested in development. He said the AGP remained committed to regional interests and was working to promote "progressive nationalism" among the younger generation.
Mahanta welcomed the new members and said workers associated with the Congress and AIUDF had also joined the AGP.
Later, AGP leaders attended election meetings in Dhing, Nagaon-Batadroba and Rupohihat constituencies, seeking support for Sharma.
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