Rift appears in BJP-AGP alliance

Differences have cropped up between pre-poll partners — BJP and AGP — in Assam. Former Assam chief minister and top AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said on Friday that no discussion has taken place among the allies regarding Sarbananda Sonowal being the chief ministerial candidate of the alliance.

“BJP has declared Sonowal as the chief ministerial candidate. However, all allies are yet to sit together and jointly decide on chief ministerial candidate,” Mahanta said on Friday.

The BJP had last week claimed that the saffron party’s CM candidate for Assam has the support of other allies. The party has an alliance with the AGP and the Bodo Peoples Front. Last week, BJP’s national general secretary Ram Madhav held a review meeting of the party and made it clear that the party high command would in no way change Sonowal as the party’s CM candidate.

The AGP which is facing electoral reverses since 2001 is confident that alliance with BJP has worked and party is hopeful of better performance this time. The AGP contested in 24 seats this year.

AGP sources informed DH that the party leadership is divided on supporting Sonowal as the chief ministerial candidate or not. Sonowal was with the AGP till 2011. Mahanta himself has been chief minister of Assam for 2 terms and many believe he is still in the race for the hot seat.