Assam assembly elections: BJP likely to contest 92 seats, AGP 26

Details of the seat-sharing deal were expected to be announced in Delhi later on Friday. United Peoples Party Liberal and Gana Suraksha Party are likely to get seven and one seats as part of the deal

Updated on: Mar 5, 2021, 14:20:56 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam is expected to contest 92 of the 126 assembly seats and leave the rest for its allies including Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which is likely to get 26, people aware of the matter said. A seat-sharing formula was decided in Delhi after several rounds of meetings over two days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president JP Nadda and Union home minister Amit Shah were also part of the deliberations on Thursday.

Union minister Amit Shah being felicitated with a huge traditional Assamese Japi (hat) by Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and others during BJP's public rally, at Kendukuchi in Nalbari district earlier this year. (File photo)

Details of the seat-sharing deal were expected to be announced in Delhi later on Friday. United Peoples Party Liberal and Gana Suraksha Party are likely to get seven and one seats as part of the deal.

As reported earlier by HT on Wednesday, former chief minister and AGP founder Prafulla Kumar Mahanta is likely to be denied a ticket from Barhampur that he has represented since 1991.

Mahanta is undergoing treatment in Delhi and his seat could be given to a BJP candidate. There is speculation that Mahanta might split the party and field around 15 candidates.

In 2016, the BJP had fielded 84 candidates and won 60 seats. The AGP contested 24 seats and won 14. Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF), which has now switched to the Congress-led alliance, won 12 of the 16 seats it contested.

Elections in Assam will be held in three phases on March 27, April 1, and April 6.

The Congress-led alliance, which includes BPF, All India United Democratic Front, three Left parties, and another regional alliance of Assam Jatiya Parishad and Raijor Dal are also expected to announce their seat-sharing agreements on Friday or Saturday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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