Guwahati: The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), the ally of Assam’s ruling BJP, has started preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by holding several key meetings across the state to strengthen its base among voters.
In the latest party workers’ meeting held in Tinsukia district on Sunday, AGP president and state minister Atul Bora said: “Our party came to power in Assam twice on its own. We even won as much as 95 seats. The AGP still holds good ground support among Assamese people. We are aiming to extend our support base before the general election which is scheduled to happen next year.”
The AGP fought the 2014 Lok Sabha elections without forging an alliance with the BJP.
However, before the state Assembly polls in 2016, the two parties came together and forged an alliance.
Over the passage of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Parliament, the AGP broke the ties with the BJP in 2019.
But within two months, the regional party backtracked and again forged an alliance with the saffron camp just before the Lok Sabha polls.
Since then, the AGP has been continuing the alliance with the BJP.
Following the historic Assam Accord in 1985, AGP was formed, which was formally introduced during the Golaghat Convention, held in Golaghat on October 13 and 14, 1985.
Later, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta became Assam’s youngest Chief Minister in the subsequent election.
The AGP formed two governments, the first from 1985 to 1989 and second between 1996 and 2001.
Post 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJP gained huge support in the state and AGP is now a small brother in the alliance.
The party fought the election in two seats in the previous general election but could not win any of them.
This time, the AGP has been planning to demand for three Lok Sabha seats from the BJP. That is why the party leadership is busy preparing the grounds.
Bora said: “The party is determined to win one or two seats in the next Lok Sabha elections.”
Another minister from the AGP, Keshab Mahanta mentioned;, “We have taken great pain to establish the party among the voters. The Assamese people think AGP as their own party. We must give importance to sending this message among the mass of people. The leadership is very hopeful to put up a good performance in the upcoming polls.”
On the other hand, according to the BJP sources, the saffron camp will offer a maximum two seats to its ally AGP.
Assam has 14 Lok Sabha seats.
Another ally of the BJP, Bodoland’s United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) will be given the Kokrajhar seat and the BJP has been preparing to contest the rest of the Lok Sabha seats.
–IANS