Assam CM Sonowal assures BJP and AGP still allies

Guwahati, December 21, 2018:

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, while speaking to reporters on Thursday, has assured that the BJP and AGP are still allies, quelling rumours of a growing rift between the two parties in the state. “Let us first complete the NRC update process and after that everything will be taken into account. AGP is still with us, said Sonowal. Sonowal also added that the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has been formed and any decisions regarding the Bill will be taken by the body.

And the reason for the alleged rift? Well, it is nothing but the highly controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill over which the BJP and AGP have been locking horns. The controversy started when the AGP threatened to walk out of the alliance after growing agitations in Assam over the implementation of the controversial Bill.

It may be mentioned that the AGP contested the recently held Panchayat polls independently and some AGP leaders also criticized the BJP leadership in the run up to the elections. In response, senior Assam BJP leader Himanta Biswa had even dared the AGP to walk out of the ruling alliance between the AGP and the BJP.