Asom Gana Parishad Forms Bongaigaon Zila Parishad in Alliance with Congress

Recent political development that has sent ripples across Assam’s power corridors, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has wrested control of the Bongaigaon Zila Parishad by forming an unlikely post-poll alliance with the Congress party, leaving the BJP, its own ally in the state government, cornered.  

The dramatic twist came late Wednesday evening after days of intense backroom parleys and shifting allegiances at the grassroots level. The AGP, which had bagged 4 out of 12 seats, fell short of the majority mark but found a lifeline when the Congress, with its 2 newly elected members, extended support to form the Zila Parishad, followed by 1 independent who too extended support to the AGP.

The Congress, on its part, termed the alliance as a “people’s coalition” aimed at safeguarding democratic institutions at the grassroots.
Though the AGP leadership led by party president Atul Bora declined to make any comment on the alliance, a source who is privy to the party’s decision making said that AGP is open for future discussions at the party forum.

Setback For BJP

For the BJP, which had won 4 seats and was banking on Independents to cobble together a majority, the loss of Bongaigaon Zila Parishad is a symbolic setback. The district had been considered a AGP bastion, but BJP had been able to make strong presence which often led to conflict with its own alliance partner.

Despite repeated attempts, BJP’s district unit leaders declined to comment. However, sources within the party confirmed to Republic that the top state leadership is “unhappy” with AGP’s decision to join hands with the Congress and are considering “reviewing” the future of the alliance at the district and block levels. 

Tensions Brewing in NDA’s Assam Chapter?

The move has once again exposed the widening cracks within the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), especially in Assam where AGP has often walked a tightrope balancing its regionalist roots with the demands of coalition dharma.

Political analysts believe this episode could trigger a recalibration of equations ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly polls.

“This is more than just a local body win. This is AGP sending a message that it will not play second fiddle forever,” said Prof Akhil Ranjan Dutta, professor of Political Science at Gauhati University.

When asked about the future dynamics, he said that the base of AGP is regionalism and the foundation was laid through the Assam Agitation. He also highlighted the aspect that many at the grassroots level of the AGP are not happy with the NDA as they feel dejected.

A New Template for Opposition Unity?

Interestingly, the AGP-Congress alliance in Bongaigaon comes at a time when both parties are at loggerheads in the state legislature. Yet, this local-level collaboration hints at the emerging pragmatism in Assam’s political chessboard, where anti-BJP forces appear willing to set aside past rivalries to checkmate a common adversary.

Whether this experiment remains limited to Bongaigaon or snowballs into a broader political realignment remains to be seen—but for now, the AGP-Congress front has redrawn the contours of grassroots politics in Assam.

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