GUWAHATI, May 16 – The State’s premier regional outfit, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), has decided to take the lead in the formation of a joint forum of regional parties from across the country to secure regional interests. The party is planning to organise a national convention of all such parties soon to formalise the alliance. Disclosing this to presspersons, on the sidelines of the central executive committee meeting of the party here this afternoon, AGP spokesman Jagadish Bhuyan said that the party will shortly establish contact with all regional parties in this regard.
The decision to this effect was taken during the day-long meeting where it was felt that no national political party in the country would be able to form a national government on its own under the current situation. That is why neither the Congress, nor the BJP has been able to secure the full mandate of the people. It is here that the regional parties can play a crucial role. According to the resolution adopted by the AGP, a federal political structure should be established in the country to ensure equal status and equitable development for the small States and the numerically smaller communities. That is why, a forum of all regional parties is needed, it said. According to Bhuyan, the relevance of regional parties will remain for years to come.
Bhuyan said that the two newly-elected AGP MPs will maintain equidistance with both the Congress and the BJP in Parliament. “There is no question of any coordination with the BJP, “ he maintained. The executive committee decided that the two MPs will raise issues in an effort to undo the “injustice, disparity and deprivation” against Assam by the Centre Bhuyan’s assertion echoed the view of the central executive committee, which said that the relevance of the AGP has been reinforced after the recent Lok Sabha elections. The common perception of the party leadership is that the AGP can take credit for winning the two seats despite the short span of time that it had after the new central executive committee was constituted by party president Brindaban Goswami.
The first resolution adopted by the party leadership today declared that winning a few seats was not the objective that the AGP had in mind. The primary objective was to draw the people’s attention to the negligent attitude of the national parties, particularly the Congress and the BJP, and their “anti-Assam” policies and make them realise that it is only a regional force like the AGP that can secure their interests.
The fact that the party got a large share of popular votes goes on to show that the people of the state support the thinking of the AGP’s new leadership, the resolution stated. The executive committee felt that the AGP should adopt a more “sacrificing attitude” to increase its acceptability among the masses and gain their confidence.
The other resolutions adopted by the AGP central executive committee today included a demand to institute an impartial enquiry into the affairs of the Sarba Siksha Mission and stern action against those found guilty of not distributing textbooks among schoolchildren properly. He party has also decided to launch a mass signature campaign in the State against the crude oil theft issue. The campaign will culminate in the submission of a memorandum to the President of India to draw his attention to the theft of national wealth.
The AGP has also warned the State Government to ensure that the preparations for the National Games do not turn out to be another case of financial irregularities. It has also opposed any new tax burden on the people under the excuse of the Games. Meanwhile, commenting on Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin issue, AGP general secretary Hitendranath Goswami said that though his party does not want to make it an issue, it would have preferred to see a Prime Minister of Indian origin.