AGP expels Mahanta

Former Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Mahanta has been expelled form the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) for alleged anti-party activities. Ironically it was Mr. Mahanta who founded the party two decades back. AGP's steering committee took less than half an hour to seal the fate of the two-time Chief Minister, who was the most recognised politician of Assam.
 
Bringing the curtains down on the student leader-turned-politician, the expulsion order was endorsed by the Central Executive Committee at a meeting which took place Tinsukia. The AGP also show caused four MLAs, who had defied party whip to
attend a meeting which was organised as a show of strength in favour of Mr Mahanta. The MLAs are Mr Gunin Hazarika, Mr Sahidul Alam Choudhury, Mr Bubul Das and Mr Utpal Dutta.
 
The former Chief Minister has been found involved in alleged anti-party activities for the past four years. Once the undisputed
leader of Assam movement, Mr Mahanta was sidelined in the AGP and his punishment was a foregone conclusion.
Hopwever agitation over the expulsion of former Chief Minister Praful Kumar Mahanta from the Asom Gana Parishad is continuing with his supporters taking to streets. At the same time,  Mr. Mahanta also demonstrated his strength as thousand of supporters received him at the Guwahati airport and drove through the city in a large convoy.
 
The former Chief Minister made it clear that he would take the battle to the AGP camp. MLAs loyal to him were also show caused. Supporters in about 100 vehicles had gone to receive Mr Mahanta who along with former speaker Ganesh Kutum drove back to the city in an open vehicle braving blistering heat.
 
Later his supporters had a meeting where Mr Mahanta urged all regional forces to unite to take on the Congress and BJP.
Mahanta appeals to AGP to stay united. After being expelled Prafulla Mahanta has appealed to the party leadership to reconsider the decision of his expulsion to keep the party united to fight the Congress in the
next assembly polls.
 
In the first news conference after he was expelled, the former Chief Minister virtually gave time to the AGP to reconsider the
decision to expel before splitting the party. He has already flexed his muscle by showing his strength on the streets of Guwahati when he arrived from Delhi. Flanked by four of the 18 MLAs of the AGP and claimed that he had the support of more covertly. ''Our common target was Congress and we shouldn't fight amongst ourselves. I do hope that good sense will prevail upon the AGP leadership and will withdraw the suicidal decision to expel me,'' he said.
 
The press conference made it abundantly clear that Mr Mahanta did not want to take the blame of splitting the AGP, which had been founded by him way back in 1985. Regarding his future, he said he would decide only after a series of consultation with intellectuals, academics, media friends as well his loyal supporters.
 
''But we should not forget that our common enemy is Congress and we must take them on unitedly,'' he said. But the AGP firmly shut its door on Mr Prafulla Kumar Mahanta by refusing to reconsider the decision of expulsion of the former Chief Minister from the party. This is a unanimous decision of the AGP central executive committee as well as steering committee and there is no room for reconsideration, AGP president Brindabon Goswami said while addressing a news conference.
It was more of tactical move rather than a realistic one as the Mahanta faction has been working overtime to float a new political party within the next one and half month, political circles felt.
 
''The conduct of Mr Mahanta and his constant attempt to weaken the party, undermining the leadership have forced us to take the decision and we will adhere by that,'' said Mr Goswami. Mr Goswami indicated that the four MLAs, who had been supporting Mr Mahanta, would face stiff punishment. ''We will not allow indiscipline in the party. That is most important,'' he said. Mr. Mahanta had boasted that he had the support of 11 of the 18 MLAs of AGP.  ''This is rubbish. As of today we are one,'' Mr Goswami said.

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