GUWAHATI: For the Assamese sub-nationalists and people believing in regionalism, the options increased with the birth of some regional political parties ahead of next year’s Assam elections but the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has remained unfazed.
The party, which put up a show of strength at a massive rally in Bokakhat on Sunday, said people’s sentiments were attached to it and as such, it could not be wiped off or destroyed.
“There is a history behind the birth of the AGP. People’s sentiments are attached to it. So, it cannot be destroyed,” AGP chief and the state’s Agriculture Minister Atul Bora said.
The AGP, which is a constituent of Assam’s ruling coalition, was born out of the six-year-long bloody Assam Agitation, spearheaded by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) in early 1980s. The movement had ended with the signing of historic Assam Accord between AASU and the Rajiv Gandhi government in 1985.
Over the past few months, Assam saw the birth of several regional forces including Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP) and Raijor Dal as a result of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA.
While the AJP was floated by AASU and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chhatra Parishad, Raijor Dal was the brainchild of 70 organisations, including peasants’ body Krishak Mukti Sangram Samitee of which jailed activist Akhil Gogoi is a leader.
Both these parties are expected to give the AGP a run for its money. First, a section of people is not happy over the AGP’s flip-flop over CAA. During the height of anti-CAA protests, the AGP had pulled out of the Sarbananda Sonowal government but made a return when the protests subsided. Secondly, the birth of the new regional parties gave people, believing in regionalism, options to choose from.
However, the AGP president is optimistic about his party’s poll prospects.
“The AGP was founded on a historic movement which saw 855 people attaining martyrdom. The birth of the party was a call of time and the party is still relevant in Assam’s politics,” Bora said.
He added: “The huge turnout in today’s rally is testimony to people’s support for the AGP. In fact, I am surprised to see the youths increasingly getting attracted to the AGP”.