'AASU won't accept Mahanta'

The organisation that Mahanta once headed and one that made him CM has now turned out to be his most bitter opponent in the state.

The All Assam Students' Union (AASU), an organisation that Prafulla Mahanta once headed and one that made him Chief Minister of Assam has now turned out to be his most bitter opponent in the state.

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"We will never accept Mahanta," AASU general secretary Tapan Gogoi has said, as the clash between the two sides continues.

Matters have deteriorated further between the AASU and Prafulla Mahanta, now leader of the recently formed Asom Gana Parishad (P), with supporters of the two sides clashing in Dibrugarh in upper Assam October this year.

Ujjal Phukan, president of the Dibrugarh district unit of the AASU has also sent letters to all other district presidents of the powerful organisation to "ban" Mahanta's entry into the districts.

Mahanta's relationship with AASU was first affected by a series of "secret killings" in the state during Mahanta's last term as Chief Minister. While Mahanta had denied involvement in the killings, the AASU had held Mahanta responsible for the killing of several family members of militants belonging to the United Liberation of Asom (ULFA).

Responding to the latest situation between the two sides, general secretary of the AGP (P) Roopam Kakati said that while the AASU may be an apolitical organisation, it was in this case being instigated by the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) of which the AGP (P) is a breakaway faction led by Mahanta.

"This is a response to our popularity in the state," Kakati said.