AGP releases first list of 8 candidates, denies ticket to party veteran Brindaban Goswami

Goswami, a five-time MLA, was replaced by newcomer Prithviraj Rabha

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), an alliance partner of the ruling BJP-led combine in Assam, on Sunday declared its first list of eight candidates for the approaching assembly polls in the state.

Announcing the candidates for the first phase of polling on March 27, AGP general secretary Ramendra Narayan Kalita told a press conference that newcomer Prithviraj Rabha would contest from the prestigious Tezpur seat.

Veteran AGP leader and five-time MLA Brindaban Goswami was denied ticket and replaced by Rabha, who was inducted into the party fold during the day.

AGP president and state minister Atul Bora will contest from Bokakhat, while his cabinet colleague and working president of the party Keshab Mahanta will be in the fray from Kaliabor constituency.

Read | Denied poll ticket, Assam BJP minister joins Congress ahead of Assembly elections

Names of sitting MLAs Renupoma Rajkhowa (Teok), Bhabendra Nath Bharali (Dergaon) and Prodip Hazarika (Amguri) feature in the list.

The party has fielded Ponakan Barua from Chabua and Jayanta Khaund from Naoboicha constituency respectively, Kalita told reporters.

The party currently has 13 MLAs in the 126-member Assam Assembly, which is going to polls in three phases.

Meanwhile, AIUDF MLA Aziz Ahmed Khan from Karimganj South constituency also joined the AGP on Sunday after news spread that the opposition party has reportedly left the seat to Congress as part of an understanding in the Grand Alliance. Polling for Karimganj South assembly constituency will be held in the second phase on April 1. The third and the last phase of assembly polls will be held on April 6.