GUWAHATI, Dec 7 - The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) is confident of continuing the alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2021 State Assembly elections and efforts are on to strengthen the regional party all over the State through mass contact programmes, said the president of the AGP, Atul Bora. Talking to The Assam Tribune, Bora said that the alliance with the BJP is functioning �comfortably� and there is no reason why the alliance should not continue in the days to come. He , however, said that the issue of seat sharing has not yet been discussed.
The AGP president said that efforts are now on to take the party closer to the people and the membership drive launched by the regional party received enthusiastic response from cross sections of people, particularly the youths. He said that winning prospects of the AGP in different constituencies is being assessed and the AGP would place demands for seats before the leadership of the BJP accordingly. In the last assembly elections, the AGP reached understanding with the BJP in 24 constituencies, while, there was �friendly contest� in four other seats. �We hope to contest in more seats in the ensuing polls as the support of people towards the party is increasing,� he added.
Bora claimed that the present leadership of the AGP has not isolated any senior leader and he is keen on working in close coordination with every member of the party.
Replying to a question on whether all the sitting MLAs of the AGP would get party ticket, Bora said that winning prospect would be the key in selection of candidates. However, he said that the party has stronghold in all the constituencies of the sitting MLAs.
The AGP president said that new regional parties like the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and Raijor Dal would not affect the electoral prospects of the AGP. He claimed that the AGP was formed as an outcome of the Assam movement and the public support to the party is increasing in recent times.
The AGP president described the proposed alliance between the Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) as an �unholy alliance� and said that it would not have any impact in the elections. In fact, it would have negative impact in upper Assam districts, he said. He also said that an old party like the Congress is now dependent on the AIUDF for its survival.