Regional forces set to unite in Assam

Guwahati, Sep 20 (UNI) In a development that could change political equations and challenge the ruling Congress in Assam, regional forces are set to unite with the single largest Opposition party, the Asom Gana Parishad, today paving the way for unification of all splinter groups.

A crucial executive meet of the AGP at the party headquarters here passed a resolution for bringing back all splinter groups and individuals, including former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, who had left the party fold.

The resolution would be placed before the general council tomorrow, which is expected to approve it and pave the way for merger of the founder-members with the parent party.

The 11-member committee formed for exploring possibilities of unification has been entrusted with the task of taking forward the matter and overseeing the actual merger.

Today's executive meeting has cleared the grounds for merger of all factions, including the re-entry of former chief minister and founder-president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta.

He was expelled from the party for anti-party activities in 2005 and had since then gone on to float a separate outfit, AGP (Progressive).

Mahanta's re-entry was proving to be the only stumbling block, with students and youth organisations, whose opinion was sought over the unification bid, protesting the move to bring back Mahanta to the party fold.

However, the former chief minister's entry seems imminent with all district committees approving the report of the special committee formed to guide in the unification process.

The AGP's top brass was also reported to be in constant touch with Mahanta, with the former also expressing his desire to return to the parent party.

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