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AGP not to join Sangma-backed NEPF

By Sushanta Talukdar

GUWAHATI, FEB. 21. The Opposition Asom Gana Parishad in Assam today turned down a proposal by the P.A. Sangma-backed North-East People's Forum (NEPF) to join it but stressed the need for having a permanent platform of regional parties in the North-East.

The NEPF proposal was made by its convenor and Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio, during a meeting with the AGP president, Brindaban Goswami, here this morning. Mr. Goswami, who hosted the breakfast meeting, later said the AGP had reservations about joining the NEPF because of the Forum's association with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Mr. Goswami also turned down another proposal by Mr. Rio to use the NEPF as the "launch pad" for a permanent platform of the parties in the region. "The NEPF was formed hurriedly to achieve electoral gains rather than building it up as a common platform of regional parties to fight for common issues. Moreover, the BJP, which is an ally of the NEPF, has already announced that it does not want any electoral alliance with us. So how can we agree to join the NEPF?" Mr. Goswami asked.

He, however, said his party had expressed its willingness to have a permanent platform after identifying all the common political and socio-economic problems of the region and formulating a proper agenda instead of merely confining to electoral alliances.

Mr. Rio, who left for New Delhi later in the day, is expected to discuss with the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, sharing of seats between the BJP and the NEPF for the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the eight north-eastern States, including Sikkim. The NEPF convener, however, described the "discussion with the AGP president as fruitful."

During the 1999 Lok Sabha elections, the AGP drew a blank while the BJP won two seats against 10 seats won by the Congress. Two seats were won by independents.

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