Oppn yet to stitch together an alliance

Guwahati, Mar 11 (UNI) Opposition parties in Asom, barring the BJP, are in the final stage of negotiation among themselves to evolve a suitable poll alliance or at least seat sharing understanding even as the ruling Congress is preparing to fight the battle on its own.

The major opposition group, regional Asom Gana Parishad(AGP), has ruled out any truck with the BJP and AGP (Progressive) led by Mr Prafulla Kumar Mahanta while in the process of striking some understanding with CPI, CPI-M and smaller tribal political groups from Bodo areas and the two hill districts. The AGP's stand is to minimize division of anti-Congress votes.

Veteran parliamentarian from Tura, Meghalaya, and leader of the Nationalist Congress Party(NCP) P A Sangma made an effort to weave an alliance with the AGP, AGP(P), CPI-M, and newly-formed Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF). But it virtually came a cropper in view of differences with the CPI-M and the AGP although the AGP(P) led by Mr Mahanta has not rejected a tie-up with the NCP and AUDF.

The AGP led by Brindabon Goswami is not game for having an alliance with a group of political parties which also have AGP(P) which was formed by former chief minister Prafulla Mahanta after he was expelled from the AGP last year. The AGP remembers how the four NCP MLAs, elected in last Assembly polls, crossed the floor to join the ruling Congress later, according to a party source.

On the other and the AUDF too had not decided yet whether to stick with to NCP and the AGP(P) or try striking an understanding with the more influential AGP. As things stand today, the ruling Congress is heaving a sigh of relief witnessing Opposition parties' failure to muster a strong alliance against it.

UNI