AGP to decide on seats it will contest in Assam polls: Bora

Days after former Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta advised AGP to contest 80 seats in the upcoming Assembly polls, party president Atul Bora on Wednesday said a decision will be taken considering “practical realities”. Talking to the media on Wednesday, Bora said the ruling alliance member Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) will try to win more seats in the Assembly elections, likely to take place in March-April next year, than in the previous polls to have a strong position in the Government.

“Prafulla Mahanta is the founder of the party. What he said was his personal wish and the party respects that. There is internal democracy within AGP and everyone can air their opinions,” he added. Bora, the Agriculture Minister, said the party will discuss various options regarding the number of seats in the coming days.

“We will take a practical decision regarding the forthcoming elections. We cannot overrule the ground realities of the present times,” he added. Earlier this month, two-time CM Mahanta had said the AGP should contest 80 seats on its own despite being in an alliance led by the BJP. Presently, the ruling BJP’s strength in the 126-member Assam Assembly is 64, while its allies AGP has nine MLAs, UPPL has seven and BPF has three members.

Bora said 2026 is an important year for the party as it will face the Assembly polls and look to strengthen its organisation at the ground level.