Assam Assembly polls: Amit Shah to discuss seat sharing with BJP's allies on December 26

The state unit of BJP is wary of continuing its alliance with BPF, but BPF wants to continue being a BJP ally

Home minister Amit Shah will visit Assam on December 26, during which he is likely to discuss the seat-sharing arrangements with BJP's allies for the Assembly elections slated to take place April-May 2021.

Assam finance minister and BJP's strategist in the Northeast, Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters in Guwahati on Saturday that Shah will also lay foundation stones for several projects including a new medical college in Guwahati and the Rs 155 crore project to develop Batadroba than, the birthplace of 15th century Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeb in Nagaon district.

Sarma said Shah will meet BJP's state unit and will also meet leaders of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Gana Shakti Party and the political outfit representing Rabha community. These parties have been BJP's regional allies since the 2016 Assembly elections. Sarma, however, did not spell out whether Shah will also hold a meeting with Bodoland People's Front (BPF), another pre-poll ally since 2016.

BJP state unit wants BPF to be out of the alliance it was planning for next year's Assembly polls. Instead, they want a similar alliance with United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), another regional party with which BJP formed the new Bodoland Territorial Council on December 15.

But BPF wants the alliance to continue and moved the central leaders with the same request. BJP leaders in Assam are waiting for Shah's decision regarding BPF.

Shah will also visit Kamakhya temple the next morning before flying to Manipur.