HT Correspondent
NAGAON, Feb 24: Signs of strain between ruling allies Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) have emerged in the politically significant Barhampur Assembly constituency after AGP was allegedly prevented from holding a public meeting at Kathiatoli public playground a few days ago.
According to reports, some BJP workers barred AGP leaders from conducting the scheduled programme at the venue, triggering fresh speculation about internal tensions between the two alliance partners.
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Barhampur has historically been regarded as a stronghold of regional politics.
The constituency was represented by AGP from 1985 to 2021.
In 1985, former AGP minister Girindra Kumar Baruah won the seat for the first time for the party.
Subsequently, former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta held the constituency for over three decades, cementing AGP’s dominance in the region.
However, in the 2021 Assembly elections, owing to PK Mahanta’s health issues and seat-sharing arrangements within the ruling alliance, AGP ceded the seat to BJP.
BJP candidate and current MLA Jitu Goswami went on to win the constituency by a narrow margin.
Amid ongoing seat-sharing negotiations between the BJP and AGP ahead of the next Assembly elections, AGP has reportedly intensified its political activities in Barhampur in a bid to regain its grassroots base. As part of this effort, Nagaon district AGP president Moni Madhav Mahanta, along with other party leaders, planned a public rally at Kathiatoli public playground and erected a temporary tent at the site.
Following these developments, a contractor allegedly close to the sitting public representative reportedly dumped piles of earth at the venue under the pretext of a project, effectively obstructing preparations for the AGP meeting.
The incident has fuelled discussions about internal friction within the alliance, particularly at a time when chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has reportedly hinted at a potential list of candidates, heightening anxiety and speculation among incumbent MLAs.
Political observers note that Barhampur, given its historical importance and shifting political equations, could once again emerge as a key battleground if the alliance dynamics between BJP and AGP continue to witness strain.
