AGP unified Mahanta back to fold

By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Sept 21: In the highly anticipated in-house meeting of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) at the Udesna cinema hall in the city today, the AGP general body unanimously passed the resolution for unification of all regional parties, marking the comeback of former Chief Minister and founder president of the AGP Prafulla Kumar Mahanta into the party fold.

The general council of the AGP unanimously passed the unification proposal, which had been placed by AGP working president Phani Bhusan Choudhury, with thunderous applause. With the passing of the resolution, the unification of the Prafulla Mahanta-led AGP(P), TGP and PLP is now certain.

It should be noted that an 11-member AGP unification committee led by Phani Bhusan Choudhury had been formed in a central executive meeting held at the party headquarters on April 9, 2008. The unification committee had entered into five rounds of talks each with the AGP(P), TGP and the PLP. The committee placed its report before the party’s executive body on August 26. The report had earlier been passed at the central executive meeting of the AGP yesterday.

When Phani Bhusan Choudhury placed the proposal in today’s meeting, the entire House welcomed it with thunderous applause. “There is no need for discussion. We want a united AGP to form the next Government,” the district committee members unanimously said.

Though the return of Mahanta and other expelled leaders is now certain, president Brindabon Goswami chose to maintain a surprising silence while the proposal was being placed.

However, the House also passed a resolution barring the new members from holding any of the top posts of the party. SOURCE: SENTINEL ASSAM