Parmananda Rajbongshi quits AGP, joins BJP; to contest from Sipajhar

GUWAHATI: Parmananda Rajbongshi, a former president of the Assam Sahitya Sabha, is all set to join active politics ahead of the ensuing polls in the state.

 

Rajbongshi, a former member of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), is likely to contest from the Sipajhar Constituency on a BJP ticket.

 

According to reports, Rajbongshi has been holding discussions with NEDA architect Himanta Biswa Sarma, and is likely to don the saffron robes later today.

 

Rajbongshi joined the AGP in the presence of party president Atul Bora and Working President Keshab Mahanta at party headquarters in Ambari, Guwahati.

 

Rajbongshi's u-turn comes after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) decreed that the BJP would contest from Sipajhar, not the AGP.

 

It needs mention here that Rajbonshi served as the General Secretary of the apex literary body and later elected as the President in the year 2017.

 

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The AGP party, as an NDA ally, will float candidates in Chabua, Amguri, Teok, Dergaon, Bokakhat, Kaliabor, Roha, Guwahati West, Chaygaon, Boko, Goalpara East, Goalpara West, Mankachar, Abhayapuri North, Abhayapuri South, Bangaigaon, Barpeta, Bhabanipur, Senga, Sarukhetri, Tezpur, Algapur, Karimganj South, Dalgaon, Naoboisa, and Jamunamukh.

 

Notably, AGP stronghold Barhampur, where AGP stalwart and 2-time chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta is the sitting MLA, has been handed to the BJP.

 

Following this announcement, Mahanta has reached out to the Congress camp in a last-ditch attempt to join the party’s mahajuth (grand alliance), which has been bolstered by the joinings of the Bodoland People’s Front and Jimosaya Deori People’s Party.

 

In the last elections, the AGP had contested in 27 Constituencies, winning 13 of those.

 

Meanwhile, the BJP has unveiled the names of 70 candidates and their respective Constituencies. Eleven of those — including former Congress stalwart Ajanta Neog — are fresh faces.