AGP shuts doors on reunification with AGP(P)

Guwahati, June 7 (UNI) The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) today firmly shut the door on any possible reunification with the breakaway faction-- AGP(P).

Addressing a press conference here today, AGP President Brindabon Goswami literally refused to recognise the existence of the AGP(P), saying that the leaders of that party had problems with the AGP set up and hence they had walked out and formed a separate party. ''So the question of reunification does not exist,'' Mr Goswami said.

The AGP(P) contested in 99 seats in the Assembly elections and won just one seat. Former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has reportedly evinced interest in returning to the parent party.

The news was rife in the political circles here that there has been an open demand by the party cadre for the reunification of the two factions as the split had cost dearly to the AGP. The party lost as many as 19 seats due to division of votes.

Briefing the newsmen about the just concluded AGP central executive, party president Brindabon Goswami owning moral responsibility for the party's defeat, announced the formation of a three-member committee to probe the causes for the debacle.

The committee comprising Dr Deba Dutta Barkataki, Mr Dulal Barua and Mr Anup Phukan would submit the report within a month.

Further to gauge the ground situation about the expelled party leaders just before the polls, five separate committees would go to block level and submit a report. He, however, evaded questions over whether they would be taken back.

The AGP has also decided to hold a meeting of the party and other regional forces by August to give a ''new direction'' to the party.

Mr Goswami asserted that regionalism had not become irrelevant in Asom and the party would return with full strength.

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