Tezpur, March 18: Abhijit Hazarika, who resigned from the post of the AGP's central committee secretary in protest against the party's alliance with the BJP, has expressed apprehension that the alliance would be the last nail in the regional party's coffin.
"The AGP as a regional party could have easily won Rangapara seat this time. But the alliance with the BJP has destroyed everything. The people of Rangapara are fed up with false promises of national parties like the Congress and BJP," Hazarika, who filed his nomination as an Independent candidate from Rangapara constituency in Sonitpur district, told The Telegraph this evening.
He said the AGP-BJP alliance would now help the Congress, which was on the verge of losing the seat this time.
Deputy Speaker of Assam Assembly Bhimananda Tanti is a sitting MLA of the Congress from Rangapara who has been re-nominated.
The BJP has fielded former Congress MLA Pallab Lochan Das from Rangapara. Das contested the 2011 Assembly polls from Behali constituency in Sonitpur and won the seat on a Congress ticket.
Das was disqualified as an MLA last year after he shifted his loyalty and joined the BJP.
"It is unfortunate that the AGP-BJP alliance has resulted in fielding a disqualified MLA like Das from Rangapara. It is a misfortune for the people of this constituency. That is why I am saying this alliance will be the last nail in the AGP's coffin," Hazarika said.
A senior AGP leader here said, "Hazarika's statement is an outcome of his frustration for not getting a ticket."
The AGP-BJP alliance has resulted in floating breakaway factions Trinamul BJP and AGP Anchalikatabadi Mancha.
The two new parties will field candidates in the 24 constituencies that the BJP left for AGP based on their seat-sharing deal.
AGP Anchalikatabadi Mancha is headed by former AGP youth wing president Sunil Rajkonwar. Sources said Biswajit Phukan is believed to have taken the lead in floating Trinamul BJP.
Five general observers appointed in the five Assembly constituencies, including Rangapara, arrived in Tezpur town.
