GUWAHATI, June 1 - The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) celebrated the Rajya Sabha membership to its leader Birendra Prasad Baishya as a victory of the party leadership�s �well-planned strategy and timely move ahead� of the Lok Sabha elections.
Amid enthusiastic felicitations from the central and all district level committees of the party at the AGP headquarters at Ambari here, Baishya said that he has been an AGP member throughout his life and firmly believed in the party ideology. �I will continue to raise my voice on issues concerning the State and its people. At the same time I appeal to the party members to reaffirm their faith in the AGP and contribute in strengthening the party base,� Baishya said addressing the jubilant AGP members.
Baishya also thanked party president Atul Bora and vice president Keshab Mahanta for planning the party strategy in such way to ensure at least one MP seat from the party.
The party leaders however, also remembered how the AGP left one Rajya Sabha seat for the BJP�s Indramoni Bora in 2001, despite being in majority in the State Assembly.
�That was the only time BJP had a Rajya Sabha MP from Assam, before the newly-elected Kamakhya Prasad Tasa,� Keshab Mahanta said.
Baishya is the only MP from AGP now as three of its candidates contesting the Lok Sabha election this year could not make it to the Parliament. As per a pre-poll understanding, the ruling alliance in the State decided to give one Rajya Sabha seat to the AGP whereas Kamakhya Prasad Tasa of BJP was elected as another Rajya Sabha MP from Assam.
The AGP leaders also lauded Baishya for his role in raising the demand for the Bogibeel Bridge over the Brahmaputra and also for his active participation in the anti-Citizenship Amendment Bill movement.
AGP�s sister organisations Asom Yuba Parishad, Mahila Parishad, Krishak Parishad and Janajati Parishad felicitated the new MP.
