GUWAHATI: NDA constituents in Assam on Sunday appealed to workers to help each other to ensure the victory of the BJP-AGP-UPPL alliance in the wake of protests by a section of supporters after announcement of seat-sharing and ticket distribution in the poll-bound state.
Addressing a joint press conference here, the presidents of the three parties accepted that ground level workers are "slightly dissatisfied" which is "natural" in an alliance.
"Workers of every party want leaders to contest from their areas. They also want inclusion of more candidates from their parties. But in an alliance, we have to accept give- and-take understanding," BJP Assam chief Ranjeet Kumar Dass said.
The aim of the BJP-led alliance is to win over 100 seats in the election to the 126-member assembly and it will be achieved with the help of its allies -- the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), he said.
"I appeal to all BJP workers to help the AGP in their 26 seats and UPPL in their eight seats, which were allotted as per the understanding. BJP workers should consider AGP and UPPL as one party and help them," Dass said.
Workers of the saffron party and the AGP have protested in over 10 places across the northeastern state following the announcement of the seat-sharing arrangement among the NDA partners and publication of the first list of BJP candidates.
Already many leaders have switched their loyalty from the BJP to the Congress and from the AGP to the saffron party while several others are planning to do so in the coming days.
Dass said, BJP workers are dedicated and the dissatisfaction of some of them due to ticket distribution will not have any impact on the poll outcome.
AGP president Atul Bora said, the party joined hands with the BJP to defeat the Congress-AIUDF alliance and that is why all his party workers should work for the victory of NDA candidates in Assam.
"After Independence, the Congress was in power for the maximum number of years in Assam and it ruined the state. So, people gave us a chance in 2016. If we get one more term, then Assam will be among the top states in India," he added.
UPPL chief Pramod Boro said, peace has returned to Bodoland areas because of the NDA government in the state and winnability is always more important than a particular individual.
The Congress has formed an alliance with the AIUDF, BPF, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML), and the Anchalik Gana Morcha (AGM) against the ruling BJP-led NDA.
The first phase of polling in Assam is on March 27 for 47 seats, second on April 1 for 39 seats, and third on April 6 for 40 seats.