AGP rules out truck with AIUDF

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Dec 21: The Asom Ga Parishad on Monday ruled out any pre-poll alliance with the AIUDF, but dropped broad hints that it was not averse to a tie-up with either the Congress or the BJP.

"The issue of any tie-up with the political parties, be it the Congress or the BJP, will be decided by the party's general council. But there is no question of any alliance with the AIUDF," AGP general secretary Ramendra rayan Kalita told The Sentinel, in the backdrop of reports that its party leaders had a meeting with senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani and poll strategist Prashant Kishore in Delhi to thrash out possibilities of a grand alliance on the lines of the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar.

The AGP said it cannot associate with political parties either "shielding illegal migrants" or "opposing the Assam Accord."

Asked specifically if it was open for an alliance with the BJP, Kalita said, "First the party has to accept the Assam Accord and withdraw the notification the Central government had issued regularizing stay of minority refugees from Bangladesh and Pakistan."

"The alliance will also depend on the common minimum programme," he said.

Kalita, however, said his party is keen to face the elections unitedly with all indigenous tribal groups and regiol parties.