Returning to the National Democratic Alliance fold, the Asom Gana Parishad on Friday formally joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party with both parties vowing to put up a united fight against the ruling Congress in Assam in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
"The BJP and AGP will work together in the forthcoming elections to the Lok Sabha to free Assam from the tyranny of the Congress misrule," senior BJP leader L K Advani said in New Delhi.
"Both subscribe to the view that to save India we must save Assam. To achieve that BJP and AGP have joined hands and will unite all anti-Congress forces in the state," Advani added.
A decision in this regard was finalised during a high-level meeting between the parties on Wednesday chaired by leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Jaswant Singh.
"Assam is the transit point of illegal Bangladeshi migrants to other parts of India. Both parties will work together to find a permanent solution on the issue," AGP chief Chandra Mohan Patwari said.
However, the party declined to comment on the seat arrangements for Assam in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls. Both the AGP and BJP have two seats each in the state.
"The consultations are still on and no decision has yet been on the seat sharing. We will get back to you when the decision is taken," Rajnath said.
The BJP added that more parties are likely to join the NDA campaign in the near future. "While the Indian National Lok Dal joined the NDA last month, I had said that more parties would join. Today one more party has joined the combine, more are likely in the near future," BJP chief Rajnath Singh told media-persons.
The BJP and AGP will work together on basic issues like implementation of the Assam Accord, sealing of the Indo-Bangla border, issuing photo identity cards, restoration of peace through meaningful political dialogue with militant outfits and granting of Scheduled Tribe status to six communities in the state as recommended by Assembly, a release said.
More from rediff