The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has amended ties with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam following a two month split over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
New Delhi: The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has patched up with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam following a two month split over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. The Alliance has been formed prior to the national elections.
While the details of the alliance have not been laid out in detail, the decision was made after senior BJP leader Ram Madhav met with the chief of AGP.
Ram Madhav after the meeting told the media reporters that the BJP and AGP have decided to come together for the elections in order to defeat Congress and the meeting itself was frantic and delayed.
The AGP had withdrawn from supporting the BJP after the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill received a green signal from the centre on the 7th of January, 2019. Under the bill, non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan will be given nationality in India after six years of residence.
The Congress, the main opponent for the bill had stated that they would dismiss the bill if voted to power. The BJP, on the other hand, maintained that if they were to return to power the Citizenship Bill would be brought back in the parliament.
The 2014 election witnessed the BJP gaining 7 out of 14 seats while Congress and the All India United Democratic Front won three seats each and one was an independent contestant. The AGP and Bodoland People’s front have no representation in the Lok Sabha and are two of BJP’s allies in Assam.
The upcoming elections are set to be held in Assam in three phases - on April 11, 18 and 13.
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