Nadda to announce alliance with AGP and BTR, says Assam BJP chief

A delegation of Asom Gana Parishad, Bodoland Territorial Region's CEM Pramod Boro and BJP leaders met Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda at Amit Shah's residence on Wednesday evening.

New Delhi: BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda will announce an alliance with Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and BTR for the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam on Thursday, said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state chief Ranjeet Kumar Dass.

"Our national president JP Nadda will announce an alliance with AGP and BTR for the Assam elections tomorrow," Dass told reporters here after attending the meeting at Nadda's residence yesterday. He also informed that the names of the candidates for the first and second phase of elections have been decided. It will be announced after approval from the Parliamentary Board.

A delegation of Asom Gana Parishad, Bodoland Territorial Region's CEM Pramod Boro and BJP leaders met Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda at Amit Shah's residence on Wednesday evening. Nadda, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and his Cabinet colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma met Amit Shah at his residence on Wednesday to discuss strategies for Assam Assembly elections ahead of the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting scheduled tomorrow at the party headquarters.

In the last assembly election in 2016, the BJP scripted history and formed the government for the first time in Assam ending Congress' 15-year rule led by former chief minister Tarun Gogoi.

BJP and its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) won a combined 86 seats in the 126-member Assam Assembly. BJP bagged 60 seats, AGP 14 and BPF 12 seats.

The BPF this week joined the Congress-led seven-party grand alliance 'Mahajath' after snapping ties with the ruling BJP. The Mahajath comprises of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) Liberation, and the Anchalik Gana Marcha (AGM). Assam assembly elections will be held in three phases.

In the first phase, 47 seats in 12 districts will go to the polls on March 27. In the second phase, 39 constituencies in 13 districts will go to the polls on April 1 while 40 assembly constituencies in 12 districts to go on polls on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.

(ANI)