Guwahati, March 14: The BJP’s assertion that the NDA seat-sharing formula in Assam is “final” has not eased tensions within ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), where ongoing constituency adjustments have stirred anxiety among ticket aspirants and grass‑roots leaders ahead of the Assembly elections.
Several constituencies have emerged as particularly sensitive in talks between the partners, including Guwahati Central, Barhampur (Nagaon), Dergaon and Khumtai (Golaghat) and Sivasagar — seats where both parties are thought to have organizational stakes.
At the local level, leaders are also watching adjustments affecting Palasbari, Sipajhar and Chabua‑Lahowal, where claims and counterclaims over tickets have fuelled speculation and unease.
BJP sources indicate the alliance may together contest around 35 seats in the state polls, with AGP expected to field candidates in roughly 25 constituencies and BJP contesting most of the remainder. The ruling party has warned that unresolved disagreements in a few areas could produce “friendly contests” between alliance partners.
AGP has so far taken a cautious public line. Party president Atul Bora said talks with the BJP were continuing, signalling overlapping claims on certain constituencies. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, however, has maintained that from the BJP’s perspective the seat‑sharing arrangement is settled with little room for further negotiation.
Behind the scenes, the evolving arithmetic has unsettled sections of AGP. A senior party functionary acknowledged that negotiations had created pressure within the organisation and that some leaders felt constituencies traditionally associated with AGP were under negotiation.
“Some leaders feel that a few constituencies traditionally associated with AGP are under negotiation. The leadership is trying to maintain alliance discipline, but naturally there is pressure from the ground,” the functionary said.
Another AGP source warned that the final impact would hinge largely on candidate selection. “If the party gets winnable seats, the alliance will remain stable. But if aspirants feel they are denied tickets because of seat adjustments, friendly contests cannot be ruled out in some constituencies,” the source added.
The strain has already led to visible churn: senior AGP leader and ticket aspirant Jayanta Khaund recently resigned and joined the Congress after his expected constituency reportedly went to the BJP, underscoring growing anxiety among hopefuls.
Much of AGP’s caution traces back to the 2021 election, when the BJP‑AGP alliance involved significant seat swaps. In 2021 AGP contested 26 seats and won nine, while several constituencies historically linked to AGP were contested by BJP under the pact, with AGP allotted others such as Chabua‑Lahowal.
AGP currently has leaders like Keshab Mahanta (Kaliabor) and Ramendra Narayan Kalita (Gauhati West) in the Assembly, and veteran Phani Bhusan Choudhury now represents Barpeta in the Lok Sabha after a long run as an MLA from Bongaigaon.
With the BJP projecting the alliance arithmetic as settled and AGP publicly guarded, attention is shifting to the final distribution of constituencies and the critical task of candidate selection — factors that will likely determine whether the regional party contests the election united or faces pockets of internal rivalry within the ruling alliance.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/assam/agp-grapples-with-internal-pressure-as-bjp-calls-nda-seat-deal-final-in-assam-1609413
Category: Assam
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Publish Date: 2026-03-14 10:15:00
