Prafulla Kumar Mahanta hints at joining Congress 'Mahajoot'

Guwahati: The two-time former chief minister of Assam, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta may join hands with the Congress led 'grand alliance' after he was denied a party ticket from Barhampur.

Mahanta is also planning to revive the AGP (P) as a mark of resentment for being denied the AGP ticket to contest the elections from Barhampur constituency. Terming the development as unfortunate, Mahanta hinted that he is open to join the Congress-led 'Mahajoot'.

Mahanta who was the founding president of the Assam Gana Parishad AGP has been representing Barhampur for seven straight terms since 1985. However, the BJP has given the ticket for the same constituency to BJP's Jitu Mahanta.

Formed after the historic Assam Movement, the AGP has spearheaded its movement against illegal immigrants. In 2005 over party splits Mahanta formed the Asom Gana Parishad (Progressive) but regrouped on 14 October 2008. Later in 2016 the party joined BJP and won 14 seats in the assembly elections

During the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act CAA, the regional party AGP did part its way with the Bhartiya Janata Party BJP for a while over the difference in political ideologies, only to join again ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2019.

Mahanta has opposed the CAA and its implications in the region, following which he finds himself marginalized within the party.

Reportedly, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Ripun Bora has claimed that Mahanta had already opened channels of communication with Congress after being denied the alliance's ticket.

The Congress on the other hand has been spearheading to dethrone the saffron party by stitching a grand alliance or 'Mahajoot' with AIUDF (All India United Democratic Front), BPF, Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI-Marxist, CPI (Marxist-Leninist), and the AGM (Anchalik Gana Morcha).

Meanwhile, with just a few weeks ahead of the elections, resentment is brewing between political parties over the seat-sharing arrangement with its alliance parties.

The elections to the 126-member Assam assembly will be held in three phases, beginning on March 27, 2021.

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