AGP to prioritise youth in Assembly polls; Amguri seat talks on: Mahanta
AGP leader Keshab Mahanta said discussions on the Amguri seat and alliance seat-sharing within the NDA are ongoing
A file image of Assam Cabinet Minister and AGP leader Keshab Mahanta (Photo: @keshab_mahanta/ X)
Sivasagar, Feb 27: Senior Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leader and Cabinet Minister Keshab Mahanta said that the party will prioritise young and fresh candidates in the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, while the final decision on candidature will depend on the NDA’s seat-sharing arrangement.
Interacting with the press on Thursday in Sivasagar, Mahanta said the party is keen to promote the younger generation in politics and bring in new faces in the 2026 assembly election.
“There will be fresh faces of candidates from AGP this time. The young candidates will get priority,” Mahanta said.
He, however, refrained from making any categorical comment on the candidature of senior AGP leader Pradip Hazarika, who had represented the now-dissolved Amguri constituency, stating that discussions are still underway within the party and at the alliance level.
Mahanta said the Amguri seat, where AGP has traditionally performed well, remains a key focus following the delimitation process.
“We saw how the Amguri constituency got dissolved after delimitation and many of its areas went to Nazira, while the rest became part of Sivasagar. Since this is a seat where AGP has won multiple times, our party’s Pradip Hazarika has been working for the constituency and we are hopeful that through discussion a good decision will be made,” he said.
He added that since Hazarika was the MLA of Amguri, the party is currently assessing its prospects, particularly in the Sivasagar Assembly segment.
“The issue of fielding candidates will only come after seat-sharing confirmation among alliance partners. Our seat-sharing talks are progressing smoothly,” Mahanta stated.
Referring to the proposed Mulagabharu Kshetra, Mahanta, who is also the MLA of Kaliabor, said he has already taken steps to honour the legacy of the valiant Ahom warrior.
“As part of my responsibility as Kaliabor MLA, I have already established a statue of Mula Gabhoru in my constituency,” he said.
On the location of the proposed Mulagabharu memorial, Mahanta said the final decision will be taken by the government.
“If the project can be expanded, I will be happy. The Mulagabharu Kshetra can come up at any suitable place, and the government will take the final call,” he added.