AGP pits heavyweights in 'friendly contests'

GUWAHATI, April 16: In a move which is certain to raise the hackles of state BJP leaders, the Asom Gana Parishad today named four of its top guns in constituencies which have been marked for "friendly contests" with its latest ally. Chief minister and party president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta renominated party vice-president and state cooperation minister Nurul Hussain in Hajo, sericulture minister Ramendra Narayan Kalita in Guwahati (West), deputy Speaker Renupoma Rajkhowa in Teok and former education minister Jatin Mali in the Palasbari constituencies. The names of these four top leaders figured in the first list of 54 candidates announced by Mahanta at a crowded press conference this afternoon. Mahanta will be contesting only from Barhampur and left the Nagaon seat for sitting MLA Girindra Kumar Baruah. Barring Mali, the other three AGP leaders named by Mahanta for the "friendly contests" were not present at the press conference. The four constituencies are among the 10 which the AGP claims to have been selected for "friendly contests" with the BJP. The AGP has also left 34 seats to its ally and hinted that in the 10 seats marked for "friendly contests," it would only offer token resistance at the hustings. However, the state BJP leaders deny that they have agreed to any friendly contests and insist that the party will put up candidates in all 44 seats. Mahanta said the modalities for the "friendly fights" have not been finalised yet. But it is apparent that the AGP was aiming to "win" these 10 seats.