Prafulla Kumar Mahanta Asks BJP To Seek Fresh Mandate If It Has ‘Guts’

GUWAHATI: Former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has thrown a challenge at the BJP by prodding it to seek a fresh mandate and form the government “if it has the guts”. He has mad it clear that the ruling party has no moral right to remain in power at Dispur after the AGP’s departure from the coalition as the people’s mandate was only for a pre-poll alliance.

Addressing the media in Guwahati on Tuesday, Mahanta, who chose to identify himself as founder AGP president rather than the former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, said, “The BJP got the people’s mandate in Assam through a pre-poll alliance with the AGP and the BPF. In accordance with the alliance, the AGP and the BPF got three ministerial berths each. The BJP, it being in majority, got its chief minister and the bulk of other ministers’ portfolios. Since the AGP has severed its ties with the BJP, the latter has no moral right to be in power. The government should be dissolved. It may form the government after fresh polls if it has the guts.”

Mahanta also drove home the point that a coalition government works only when policy decisions are taken through discussions among all the allies. “However, the BJP in Assam has taken decisions on its own and imposed them on AGP and BPF. The BJP held its executive committee meeting in Majuli, the Chief Minister’s home constituency, and adopted a resolution in favour of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. The AGP has now severed its ties with the BJP. As founder AGP president, I welcome this decision, even as this decision should have been taken a bit earlier. What one must note is that the AGP has moved away from the government not for the interests of the party, but for the interests of the State and its people,” he added.

When asked for comment on BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary’s statement that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is not going to affect the BTAD, Mahanta said, “The Bill will affect the BTAD too.”

Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said by passing the Bill the BJP has smashed all the sacrifices made by about 860 martyrs of the Assam Agitation.

Also Read: Top Headlines