Sangma's grand alliance claim in Assam rejectedGuwahati : Former Lok Sabha speaker Purno Agitok Sangma's efforts to put up a united opposition to the ruling Congress in the April assembly elections in Assam have come a cropper, with the main parties rejecting his idea.
The Garo tribal strongman from Meghalaya announced that a pre-poll seat sharing agreement was reached between his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), the Asom United Democratic Front (AUDF) and the Asom Gana Parishad-Progressive (AGP-P).
But hours after his announcement, the CPI-M rejected Sangma's claim and said there was no such understanding.
"We have not struck any such deal and in fact negotiations are on for an understanding with the parent Asom Gana Parishad (AGP)," an Assam CPI-M leader said.
Sangma went a step further saying the conglomeration has agreed to put up 90 common candidates.
The claims of Sangma's grand alliance got yet another setback when AGP-P leader and former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta took a different stand.
"We have reservations in having a tie-up with the AUDF. We have an understanding with the NCP," Mahanta told IANS.
The AGP on the other hand has ridiculed Sangma's "false propaganda" ahead of elections to the 126-member house to be held April 3 and April 10.
"Sangma is misleading the people by claiming an alliance. In fact, the ground realities are quite different," senior AGP leader Dilip Saikia said. "He is trying to meddle too much in Assam politics and it would be better if he stuck to his own state."
Sangma was not immediately available for comments.
The political situation still remains fluid with less than three weeks to go for the polls. The main opposition AGP is likely to have a pre-poll alliance with the CPI-M and the Communist Party of India (CPI), besides some smaller regional fronts.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is going it alone after the AGP spurned its offer for a pre-poll understanding.
The ruling Congress on the other hand has an alliance with the Bodo People's Progressive Front (BPPF) led by former tribal rebel leader Hagrama Mohilary.
"Let the other parties fight and work hard for an understanding. We are comfortable with the BPPF alone," a senior Congress leader said.
