The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Assam government faces a vote for incumbency ahead of the Assembly Elections 2021. The current government is an alliance of partners BJP (61 seats), Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) with 13 seats, and Bodoland People's Front with 11 seats.
Although the BPF is still in tie-up with the government but following the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) there persists uncertainty over their Bodo partner.
Although they have the support of the new partner, United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), it cannot be ascertained as to how many seats the party can gather in the forthcoming assembly elections.
Meanwhile, the AGP has stood firm with the saffron party through thick and thin even after reports of opposition within its own ranks at times. The party didn’t even oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which was contrary to the ethos of the very Assam Accord, which the AGP had politically stood for.
However, instead of a reward, the AGP is now expected to make way for the BJP in some seats. One such contested seat will be the Gauhati West constituency currently held by Ramen Narayan Kalita of the AGP.
The ranks within the BJP have desired to contest from the Gauhati West seat although it has conventionally been an AGP bastion. This comes at a time when the Nalbari Bidhan Parishad of the AGP had earlier opposed Nalbari LAC seat to be given to the BJP in the 2021 polls as per reports.
A few local units have quit including the Yuva Parishad, Chatra Parishad and Mahila Parishad after the Morigaon seat is set to be given to the BJP. In such a situation, the Gauhati West seat might prove to be the nail in the coffin for the AGP's political existence.
G Plus spoke to a senior BJP leader from Guwahati who stated that the BJP power has increased with the Guwahati Mahanagar Zila Committee holding a 5,000 strong leader-backed rally recently. The members have even informed the leadership that the saffron party has the chance to win in Gauhati West.
This has not been the first time the AGP-BJP contradictions have occurred. During a report on the civic issues ailing the Ayurvedic College, the former elected members and councillors have claimed that the local MLA and the BJP area members had issues. The BJP senior brass considers that giving up the Gauhati West seat to the party can solve this conflict.
With the rise of regional parties trying to absorb the vote share of AGP and the BJP’s aggressive campaigning can AGP survive the dual challenge?
The rally was held from Latasil field to Nehru Stadium, led by the BJP Guwahati District Committee with leaders Mrigen Sarania, Siddhartha Bhattacharya, Mukut Deka, Nabarun Medhi, and Deben Dhrubojyoti Morlok bracing the event among others.
Mrigen Sarania, BJP District Committee President further stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Guwahati District Committee (Mahanagar Zila Samiti) has set a target of winning every booth in the upcoming assembly elections.