In its list of 26 candidates for Thursday's assembly elections, 13 are from the Bengali-speaking Muslim community -- a demographic that was at the centre of the original Assam agitation.
Key Points
- AGP faces identity crisis ahead of 2026 Assam polls.
- Once a movement-led force, now grappling with relevance and ideology.
- Shift in candidate profile sparks debate over ideological dilution.
The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), born out of the Assam movement that reshaped the state's political landscape in the 1980s, finds itself at a critical juncture ahead of the 2026 assembly elections, with questions mounting over its ideological moorings and political future.
What began as a powerful student-led agitation against illegal immigration has, over four decades, evolved into a regional party now grappling with shifting alliances, electoral compulsions and a shrinking independent identity within the BJP-led NDA.
A movement forged in sacrifice
The roots of the AGP lie in the turbulent years of the late 1970s, when Assam witnessed a mass agitation demanding detection, disenfranchisement and deportation of illegal immigrants.
The turning point came in December 1979, when Khargeswar Talukdar, a young protester in Barpeta, died after allegedly being beaten by police during protests against non-Assamese candidates filing nominations for the 1980 Lok Sabha elections.
His death intensified the agitation, which culminated in the signing of the Assam Accord in 1985. Soon after, leaders of the movement transitioned from the streets to the corridors of power.
From student leaders to rulers. AGP's meteoric rise in 1985
In a development reminiscent of youth-led political upheavals elsewhere, the AGP was formally constituted at the Golaghat national convention, with All Assam Students' Union (AASU) leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta at the helm.
In the assembly elections that followed, the AGP secured a landslide victory, winning 92 of 126 seats.
Images of a young cabinet -- many in their early 30s -- taking oath captured national and global attention, marking a rare moment when a student movement transformed into a ruling government almost overnight.
Ideological shift or electoral compulsion? Ticket distribution raises eyebrows
Forty years later, the AGP's political positioning appears markedly different.
In its list of 26 candidates for Thursday's assembly elections, 13 are from the Bengali-speaking Muslim community -- a demographic that was at the centre of the original Assam agitation.
The development has raised questions about whether the party has undergone an ideological shift or is simply adapting to electoral realities.
In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party -- the AGP's senior alliance partner -- has not fielded a single Muslim candidate, highlighting a divergence in approaches within the NDA.
Poll arithmetic and alliance dynamics
Observers say the AGP's candidate selection reflects changing political arithmetic.
Muslims constitute around 34% of Assam's population, and the party has been allocated seats largely in minority-dominated areas of Lower Assam as part of the NDA seat-sharing arrangement.
Critics argue that this strategy underscores the party's dependence on the BJP and raises concerns about whether it retains an independent political identity.
A history of internal churn and decline
The AGP's journey since coming to power has been marked by internal divisions and external challenges.
The rise of insurgency, particularly the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), tested the party's governance in its early years. It faced splits in 1991, reunification before 1996, and another division in 2005.
Over time, several leaders moved away. Among them was Sarbananda Sonowal, who began his political career with the AGP but later joined the BJP in 2011, citing the party's failure to uphold the core principles of the Assam movement.
Strains within the party and alliance
Questions over the AGP's role within the NDA are not new.
In 2021, party founder and former chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta was denied a ticket, leading to speculation about his marginalisation.
Despite talk of a Rajya Sabha berth, he has remained out of active politics.
The party's reduced influence within the alliance has further fuelled speculation about whether it risks being subsumed by the BJP.
Debate over foreigners issue continues
The issue of illegal immigration -- central to the AGP's origin -- continues to dominate political discourse in the state.
Abhijit Sarma of Assam Public Works, an organisation driven by nativist concerns, claimed that despite the BJP and NDA's strong rhetoric against 'Bangladeshis', only 26 people had been legally deported since 2017, citing state government data.
His remarks have added to the debate over the effectiveness of the government's measures on the ground.
Mahanta questions BJP's approach, flags CAA concerns
Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, who is currently out of active politics due to health reasons, has also raised concerns over the handling of the foreigners' issue.
Mahanta said the problem cannot be resolved as long as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), enacted by the Modi government, remains in force.
'The Assam Accord set March 24, 1971, as the cutoff date to deport foreigners. But the CAA goes against the Accord. Their stand undermines the Accord, and the problem cannot be solved as long as the CAA remains,' Mahanta said.
By remaining aligned with the BJP, Mahanta said the AGP has not been able to effectively address the vexed issue.
He also criticised the BJP's approach, saying it was not moving in the right direction.
'They have not taken the necessary steps, and much remains to be done to address the problem. What they have been saying is not applicable in the present scenario,' he added.
An existential question
The question hanging over the AGP this time is not merely about its electoral prospects, but whether the party still stands for anything beyond its own political survival, amid perceptions of its growing dependence on the BJP.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
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