Lok Sabha 2019: BJP, AGP to fight together in Assam

BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Tuesday said that the BJP and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) will jointly contest in Assam in the upcoming parliament elections. He said that Bodoland People's Front (BPF) will be the third party in the alliance.

Candidates will contest for 14 constituencies in Assam in the Lok Sabha polls that will be held in the state in three phases beginning April 11 and ending April 23.

"BJP and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) have decided to work together in the coming Parliament election in Assam to defeat Congress. Bodoland People's Front will be the third partner in the alliance" Madhav, who is also in charge of the Assam BJP.

The AGP had snapped ties with the BJP in January after differences over the Citizenship (Ammendment) Bill 2016.

The AGP along with Bodoland People's Front (BPF) and BJP had contested the 2016 Assam Assembly polls and formed the government unseating the Congress that had ruled the state for three consecutive terms since 2001.

The Election Commission of India on Sunday announced the dates for the Lok Sabha election 2019. The Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19. The votes will be counted on May 23.

Madhav to hold talks with Tripura BJP leaders, INPT+

BJP general secretary Ram Madhav will hold talks with



Tripura party leaders to discuss the selection of candidates for the two Lok Sabha seats in the state, a senior party leader said .

Madhav will also hold talks with Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (INPT), the coalition partner of the BJP in the state, which has recently announced that it would contest the Lok Sabha election in the state alone, he said.

The BJP general secretary accompanied by party prabhari Avinash Khanna Rai would be arriving on Wednesday.

"Ram Madhav who is looking after the party affairs of the state will be arriving here tomorrow (Wednesday) to check partys preparedness for the Lok Sabha elections. Strategy for election campaign and selection of candidates for two Lok Sabha seats will be on the table when he meets the party leaders," the senior party leader said.

The BJP has decided to contest two Lok Sabha seats - West Tripura and East Tripura, he said.

The Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting of the INPT has announced that it will field candidates in both Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Madhav is also scheduled to meet a delegation of INPT during the visit.

"We want to contest in at least one Lok Sabha constituency because CEC has already given its nod. However, in politics nothing is impossible," INPT assistant general secretary Mangal Debbarma said Tuesday.