Dumped by AGP, Mahanta seeks help from Congress

GUWAHATI: Dumped for the second time since 2005 by the party (Asom Gana Parishad) he founded in 1985, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta is now raring to fight the elections from the Congress-led ‘mahajot (grand alliance)’ platform.

Assam Congress chief Ripun Bora told TOI, “All I can say that Mahanta has contacted us over contesting elections.” As anticipated, the BJPAGP combine on Friday announced their list of 96 candidates and Mahanta’s name was conspicuously missing.

His own party sacrificed his constituency, Barhampur, to BJP. The 69-year-old stalwart of All Assam Students Union’s anti-foreigners’ movement and two-time CM has been winning from Barhampur since 1991.

BJP has fielded Jitu Goswami from Barhampur as Mahanta is recuperating from illness at AIIMS, New Delhi. Mahanta has also been constantly in friction with his own party and eventually with BJP over CAA.