It's ekla chalo for AGP

No respectable understanding was forthcoming with BJP, says Atul Bora

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Feb 17: After days of consultations and deliberations, the AGP on Wednesday decided to fight the upcoming elections alone.

The decision was taken in the face of protests from grassroots workers who were opposed to any alliance with the BJP as they felt it might "destroy regiolism in the State."

Briefing reporters at the end of the general house meeting of the party this evening, AGP president Atul Bora said a series of talks were held with the BJP, but they failed to arrive at a "respectable understanding."

"We had sought 48 seats, but the BJP offered much less. We had also sought to know the stand of the BJP on a number of vital issues plaguing the State like Assam Accord implementation and big dams. Even on those there was no respectable understanding," Bora said, also referring to the Central government's notification regularizing stay of minority refugees from Bangladesh and Pakistan which negated the Assam Accord clauses.

The AGP president said his party wished to unite anti-Congress votes but the BJP was "not reciprocating". "Even while talks were on, they (BJP) kept on poaching leaders from our party. The AGP felt dishonoured and hence filly decided against getting into any alliance with the BJP," Bora said.

Bora also ruled out any tie-up with the Congress. "Alliance with the Congress is impossible. We have been fighting against the Congress since the Assam Agitation," he said, adding that Assam was being given step-motherly treatment by tiol parties.

The AGP's highest body will now chalk out the party's poll strategy keeping in view the "mandate" of the party's general house.