Chink in the alliance between Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was evident since long. However, now rift between the two parties is now out in the open after former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta alleged that the BJP is conspiring to hinder the growing popularity of the regional party.
Mahanta further maintained that the AGP does not pay heed to such acts and that the party is only inclined for the development of the State.
Meanwhile, AGP MLA Pabindra Deka alleged that the BJP was violating the coalition norms. He in fact, went as far as to state that the Saffron Party was able to secure more than 35 seats in the assembly elections only because it had allied with the regional party.
Differences between AGP and BJP
Earlier, differences had started to crop between the two parties over granting citizenship to the persecuted Bengali Hindus from Bangladesh. In an open defiance to the NDA government’s move to introduce the Citiizenship Amendment Bill 2016 in upcoming Winter Session of Parliament, AGP had said that at any cost it won’t allow any more migrant settlers in Assam irrespective of caste, community and creed.
Regional party AGP which was formed on the plank of driving out illegal migrants from Assam after a violent struggle has always clashed with BJP over this issue. However, BJP has always maintained that Hindus who are victims of religious persecution in Bangladesh will be granted asylum here.
