Desertions gnaw at BJP edifice

GUWAHATI, April 11: The Assam BJP had its roots shaken with reports of largescale resignations from across the state, triggered by widespread resentment over its tie-up with the Asom Gana Parishad. State BJP president Rajen Gohain - who had opposed the fledgling alliance - tried hard to prevent the party edifice from crumbling as unit after unit in various districts resigned en masse. Gohain himself threatened to quit but kept his cards close to his chest till late tonight. However, firebrand party leader Hiranya Bhattacharyya stormed out of the party along with a large section of workers at a meeting in Nalbari this afternoon. Gohain, who also attended the meeting, pleaded with the agitated workers not to take a "hasty decision. Even I am not happy with the alliance but the party comes first," he told party workers. But Gohain's plea fell on deaf ears as workers burnt effigies of L.K. Advani, V. Satish and Bijoya Chakraborty. However, Chakraborty chose to shift the blame on central leaders for "forcing" the alliance. "We had nothing to do with the agreement. Everything was decided by them," she said at the party headquarters this evening. Significantly, she said the BJP would contest 44 seats in Assam. However, the AGP has maintained that it has left 34 seats to the BJP while there will be "friendly contests" in the remaining 10. "We don't know anything about friendly contests. Advaniji has made it clear to us that we will be fielding candidates in all 44 seats," she said. Even as she exuded confidence about a "good BJP show", president of the Sivasagar town unit Jadav Bora wondered if the party "will be able to win even half the seats". He told The Telegraph that the leadership had no idea of the ground realities. "What is the meaning of agreeing to contest in Nazira? Even Advani cannot win there," a top party member from the Upper Assam town added. Nazira is the home constituency of former Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia and his widow, Congress vice-president Hemoprova Saikia, is sure to be re-elected from the seat if she is nominated. Nazira is one of the 33 seats offered by the AGP to the BJP. Darrang district president of BJP's youth wing Dhrubajyoti Sharma attempted self-immolation yesterday to register his protest against the tie-up with the BJP. Sharma, who sustained severe burn injuries, has been admitted in the Mangaldoi civil hospital, party sources said. Alarmed by the violent rebuff in the BJP, the AGP today alleged that "vested forces are trying to drive a wedge in the alliance".