AGP fields own candidate against ASDC nominee

GUWAHATI, April 2 – The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has nominated Sailen Hanse, a retired Senior BDO and a resident of Diphu as its candidate for the Autonomous District Lok Sabha constituency. Earlier, the AGP was supposed to extend support to the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) for the Lok Sabha seat. But following the role of the ASDC’s two legislators in the recent elections to the two Rajya Sabha (RS) seats for the State, the AGP has decided to field its own candidate for the seat, said AGP general secretary Dilip Kumar Saikia here this evening. The ASDC legislators had cast their first preference votes in favour of Independent candidate Mahabir Prasad Jain and their second preference votes in favour of Congress’ Anowara Taimur, going against the agreement with the AGP. The regional party had fielded Birendra Prasad Baishya as its candidate for one of the RS seats. This was explained to the ASDC leaders by a delegation of the AGP yesterday at Diphu in a cordial atmosphere, Saikia said. The delegation comprised its other two general secretaries Hitendranath Goswami and Atul Bora also, besides Saikia. The ASDC is fielding Elwin Teron as its candidate for the Autonomous District constituency. However, the two parties will continue to work jointly on issues, Saikia said.