BJP-AGP alliance in for a review after the bitter panchayat poll

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The seemingly fragile BJP-AGP alliance after the bitter panchayat poll in the State is in for a review under BJP’s Assam in-charge Ram Madhav.

State BJP president Ranjit Kumar Dass met party president Amit Shah in New Delhi on Thursday night. Dass gave him details of the panchayat poll performance of the party in Assam in a written report. He also informed Shah of the party’s strain relationship with its coalition partner AGP.

According sources in the State BJP, Shah told Dass that the party high command would have a detailed discussion with State party leaders on the alliance with the AGP. Shah let Dass know that a senior BJP leader would visit Assam shortly to review the alliance issue.

BJP sources in the State said that since Ram Madhav is Assam in-charge of the party he will be sent by the party high command for the review of the alliance. Sources further said that Das stopped short of urging the party high command for severing ties with the regional party. “Nowhere in the written report to Shah, Dass made any mention of the State BJP not willing to continue its alliance with the AGP. It has, however, spelt out the strain relationship between the two coalition partners,” the source said, and added: “We’re going to hold a number of meetings soon on various issues, including the performance in the panchayat poll and our alliance with the AGP.”

Meanwhile, talking to the media on Friday, State BJP spokesperson Muminul Aowal said: “The State BJP president has already submitted a written report on the panchayat poll performance and our strain relationship with the AGP to the party high command. It’s the party high command that took the decision for alliance with the AGP. Going by that precedence, it’s the party high command that has to sort out the matter. The AGP never respected the sanctity of the alliance. The party has two parallel factions, and the faction being led by former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahnata left no stone unturned to let us down as and when there is any such situation.” Aowal said: “Now the AGP is a party defeated and injured in the battle field. Norms of war say that when a soldier, regardless of the army he belongs to, is injured he is to be given medication. Now the AGP needs healthcare.”

Also read: Is AGP breaking ties with BJP?