BJP and AGP to Forge Strategic Alliance for Assam Assembly Elections
In a significant political development, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared on Friday that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest the upcoming state assembly elections in partnership with its existing ally, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), wherever feasible. However, in constituencies where both parties are unwilling to concede, they will engage in friendly contests, allowing supporters of each party to vote according to their preference.
Flexible Alliance Strategy Announced by Chief Minister
Addressing the media in Guwahati, CM Sarma emphasized that while a comprehensive alliance across all 126 assembly seats would be the ideal scenario, the BJP has no reservations about permitting friendly contests in overlapping constituencies. "AGP maintains its own robust organizational structure, and its dedicated supporters may desire the party to field candidates. Consequently, our pragmatic approach is to collaborate in alliance wherever possible and permit amicable contests in seats where both parties have strong claims. It will be acceptable if either the BJP or AGP emerges victorious in such constituencies," Sarma elaborated.
Seat-Sharing Deadline Set for March 10 Amid Deliberations
Late on Thursday evening, the Chief Minister established March 10 as the new target date for finalizing the seat-sharing agreement within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the assembly polls. This announcement came just four days after he had previously stated that the deal was essentially "done." Sarma clarified that discussions with two key allies are still actively progressing.
"Our negotiations with the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) are expected to conclude within a day or two. The talks with AGP are scheduled for completion by March 9-10. We are optimistic that all arrangements will be finalized by that timeframe, enabling us to officially announce the alliance by March 10," he affirmed. Additionally, Sarma confirmed that the seat-sharing arrangement with the Rabha Hasong Joutha Sangram Samiti (RHJSS) has already been successfully completed.
Factors Contributing to the Delay in Finalizing Alliances
The Chief Minister attributed part of the delay in finalizing the alliance agreements to the ongoing Rajya Sabha elections, noting that NDA partners are exercising caution during this critical period. Among the NDA constituents in Assam, the BJP, AGP, Pramod Boro-led United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), and Hagrama Mohilary-led BPF currently hold representations in the legislative assembly.
It is important to highlight that the RHJSS and Janashakti Party are also integral members of the coalition, although they do not possess any sitting Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) at present.
Impact of Delimitation and Current Assembly Composition
Following the extensive delimitation exercise conducted in 2023, numerous constituencies have undergone substantial boundary modifications. Furthermore, several seats have been converted from general to reserved categories, and vice versa, adding a layer of complexity to the electoral landscape.
In the 126-member Assam Legislative Assembly, the current breakdown is as follows:
- BJP: 64 MLAs
- AGP: 9 MLAs
- UPPL: 7 MLAs
- BPF: 3 MLAs
Within the opposition camp, the Congress holds 26 MLAs, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) has 15, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) possesses one, and there is one Independent legislator.
