AGP's loss to be Congress' gain? Satyabrat Kalita makes party switch before polls

GUWAHATI: In a related development, the AGP is set to lose yet another winning candidate, Satyabrat Kalita, in Kamalpur in Kamrup district, who is all set to contest on a Congress ticket.

 

Denied a party ticket from Kamalpur and asked to contest from Hajo in Kamrup district, he has reached out to the Congress.

 

“He is almost certain. He is joining the Congress and his name figured in the screening committee meeting for the Kamalpur seat,” a senior Congress leader told InsideNE wishing anonymity.

 

In the ensuing polls in Assam, the Congress party is all set to contest in 95 Seats, while its primary ally, the Badruddin Ajmal-led All India Democratic Front (AIUDF), is set to contest in 24, it has been learnt.

 

If early reports are to be believed, the parties will have a 'friendly' contest in 3 Constituencies. On behalf of the Grand Alliance, while the Congress will exclusively contest polls in 92 Seats, the AIUDF will float candidates in 21 Constituencies.

 

ALSO READ: Breaking: Prafulla Mahanta, ‘denied’ party ticket, reaches out to Congress

 

In a significant development, Dalgaon, a Congress fortress, has been handed to the AIUDF, which seems to be riding a wave of goodwill in the Constituency.

 

It needs mention here that the Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Bhuyan-led 'Anchalik Gana Morcha' will contest in 2 Constituencies -- Batadraba and Dispur. Noted journalist Manjit Mahanta, a fierce opponent of the BJP's move to implement the 'CAA', is the likely candidate from Dispur.

 

The Hagrama Mohilary-led Bodoland People's Front (BPF) is expected to field candidates in every single Constituency in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) where it will be challenged by BJP ally

 

Meanwhile, Rajen Gohain, a two-time former Lok Sabha MP from Tezpur, is likely to contest on an Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) ticket after his appeals to be allowed to contest from Barhampur were rejected.

 

At the same time, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, the sitting MLA from the Constituency, who is being denied a ticket, has reached out to the Congress amid rumours that he is mulling a revival of the now-defunct Asom Gana Parishad (Pragatisheel).