GUWAHATI, Dec 30 - Despite the alliance with the BJP, the regional character of the AGP is intact, its president Atul Bora said today.
During the party�s customary interaction with journalists ahead of the New Year�s day, Bora said many quarters were criticizing his party for the truck with BJP.
�But, despite the alliance, the identity of the AGP as a regional party is intact. We are committed to taking the party through the right path and uphold its ideals and principles,� he said.
Bora said that the party has earlier forged alliance with Left parties, which had brought out the secular character of the AGP.
The AGP leader claimed that of late, there have been many critics of the party.
�Those who are casting aspersions on us are against regionalism. They do not want us to rise. We are alert against such forces. We are being criticized because our efforts are now yielding fruits, our dreams are transforming into reality,� he said.
Bora said there is �no personal interest� in continuing the alliance with the BJP.
�We have seen how people from all sections of society have tasted the fruits of development under the alliance government. Of course, five years isn�t enough. We are continuing the alliance only to serve the people,� Bora said.
Assuring the people that the AGP would not repeat the mistakes it had committed in the past, Bora said the party has launched an outreach programme from October and it has been getting an overwhelming response from people.
�We feel we are now able to read the minds of the people and hence we are confident of a good show in the upcoming elections. In the past, we had failed to communicate with the people, due to which a trust deficit developed,� he added.