BREAKING: Prafulla Mahanta-led AGP(P) to contest from 10 seats in Assam polls

GUWAHATI: With the BJP hell bent on denying former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta from contesting from his Barhampur seat, the Asom Gana Parishad (Pragatishil), led by him, is all set to hammer the last nail into the Asom Gana Parishad’s (AGP) coffin.

According to sources, the AGP(P) is preparing to field candidates from at least 10 seats and most the seats have been AGP bastions since 1985 when the AGP came into existence.

Mahanta is likely to contest from both Barhampur and Kaliabor, the sources added.

Among the few key AGP stronghold seats, Barhampur is one the BJP has been insisting to field its candidates as the seat sharing crisis in the BJP-AGP-United People’s Party-Liberal alliance continues to deepen. The BJP is projecting Jitu Goswami as its candidate from Barhampur.

ALSO READ: BREAKING: BJP to contest from 90 seats in Assam polls; spares 26 to the AGP, 8 to UPPL

The latest seat sharing arithmetic in the 126-member house stands at BJP looking to field candidates from 92 seats, including 74 out of the 86 constituencies that will go to polls in the first two phases on March 27 and April 1. The AGP is being offered 26 and the UPPL in eight seats.

BJP state president Ranjeet Kr Dass said late last night that the list of candidates has already been finalised during the BJP central election committee meeting in New Delhi last night.

The BJP is likely to announce the first list this afternoon. It will, however, not going to announce chief ministerial candidate as of now, Dass had said.