Mahanta makes U-turn on party presidentship

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, March 18: At a time when the Asom Ga Parishad (AGP) is facing  a fresh leadership crisis, senior most AGP leader and former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said that the young leaders must be given chance to lead the party from the front. Mahanta said that he is not interested to get the party president’s post.

In a statement issued to the media here on Wednesday, Mahanta said, “The new generation leaders must be included in the party and they must strengthen it with their new vision. In this new journey of the party, I want to remain with it as a humble worker,” adding, “I am ready to make highest form of sacrifice for the betterment of the party.”

It may be mentioned that a recent letter by Mahanta to AGP president Atul Bora has set tongues wagging in the State. In this letter, Mahanta had stated that he had relinquished the party president post in July 2014 on health grounds, but since he has recovered now, Bora should hand over charge to him within 15 days.

On the regiolism issue which the AGP professes strongly, the former chief minister said, “When the party was formed way back in 1985, the main foundation of it was regiolism. I strongly support regiolism and will continue to do so. I will stick to regiol politics.”

“The tiol political parties don’t understand the sentiments, interests and needs of the people of this region. At present, my main aim is to strengthen regiolism and not the party president’s post,” he added. The AGP fared badly in the last Lok Sabha and civic polls in the State. Ahead of the 2016 Assembly elections in the State, the party is heading for yet another tug of war for the post of its president.