Ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners – BJP, AGP and UPPL – in Assam on March 7 urged party workers to work unitedly to help each other to achieve their target of 100 plus seats in the state.
Addressing a joint press conference in Guwahati, the presidents of the three parties accepted that after the names of candidates were announced there was discontentment among a section of grassroot workers of all the parties in the alliance.
“Workers of every party want leaders to contest from their areas. But in an alliance, we have to accept give-and-take understanding,” BJP Assam chief Ranjeet Kumar Das said.
He added the mission of the BJP-led alliance of winning 100 seats in the 126 member Assam assembly could only be achieved if the ground-level workers of BJP, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) work in tandem.
“I appeal to all BJP workers to help the AGP in their 26 seats and UPPL in their eight seats, which were allotted as per the understanding. BJP workers should consider AGP and UPPL as one party and help them,” Dass said.
Already many leaders have switched their loyalty from the BJP to the Congress and from the AGP to the saffron party while several others are planning to do so in the coming days. Two-time former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, who was denied a ticket by the AGP, has already announced the party floated by him Asom Gana Parishad (Progressive) will contest in 15 seats.
AGP president Atul Bora said, the party joined hands with the BJP to defeat the Congress-AIUDF alliance and that is why all his party workers should work for the victory of NDA candidates in Assam.
“After Independence, the Congress was in power for the maximum number of years in Assam and it ruined the state. So, people gave us a chance in 2016. If we get one more term, then Assam will be among the top states in India,” he added.
UPPL chief Pramod Boro said peace has returned to Bodoland areas because of the NDA government in the state and winnability is always more important than a particular individual.
The Congress has formed an alliance with the AIUDF, BPF, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML), and the Anchalik Gana Morcha (AGM) against the ruling BJP-led NDA.
The first phase of polling in Assam is on March 27 for 47 seats, second on April 1 for 39 seats, and third on April 6 for 40 seats. Counting of votes will be held on May 2.
