Assam polls: Former CM Prafulla Mahanta's seat taken away by BJP for his anti-CAA stand

Former two-time Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta is struggling for a ticket to contest the Assembly elections after the ruling BJP took away his Barhampur seat from its ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), the party he had founded in 1985.

Mahanta, who had led the six-year-long anti-foreigners movement between 1979-1985, was elected from Barhampur six times since 1991 but the veteran politician was denied the ticket this time apparently due to his constant stand against the CAA since 2015.

Mahanta, 69 now, has not only been vocal against the CAA but also openly opposed the decision taken by AGP president Atul Bora to join BJP as an ally in 2016.

He also did not cast his vote in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls to register his protest against the CAA.

This, according to sources, angered BJP leadership including its strategist, Himanta Biswa Sarma. BJP has fielded Jitu Goswami, who is believed to be Sarma's loyalist. "I stick to my stand against the CAA," Mahanta told reporters at Guwahati airport on Friday, soon after BJP announced its first list of 70 candidates.

He was admitted at AIIMS, New Delhi and is now recuperating at his official residence in Guwahati. Mahanta had earlier told DH that the CAA would destroy the identity and culture of the Assamese people as it seeks to give citizenship to post-1971 migrants from Bangladesh.

Mahanta' wife Jayashree Goswami Mahanta, while expressing anger over the development said, "This is simply insulting. They have driven out the person from the house who constructed it," she said adding that the former CM, however, would contest from Barhampur.

"He is in touch with some parties and a decision will be taken soon," she said.

AGP president, Atul Bora, who is now the agriculture minister in the Sarbananda Sonowal cabinet on Sunday said the decision was taken based on the candidate's (Mahanta) chance to win the seat.

Another senior AGP leader and minister, Phani Bhushan Choudhury, however, on Saturday said they wanted to retain Mahanta's seat but BJP declined. Sources said Mahanta is in touch with Congress and the grand alliance it stitched with six other parties including Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United and Bodoland People's Front, BJP's ally in 2016.

Leaders of AGP (Progressive), which he founded in 2005 after his expulsion from AGP have also requested Mahanta to revive the party and contest from Barhampur. AGP (P) was dissolved after Mahanta returned to the party in 2008.