Asom Gana Parishad

5. Precursory Development that led to the formation of Asom Gana Parishad:
 Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) was formed following a long movement
against foreign nationals, viz., Bangladeshi immigrants, by the All
Assam Students Union (AASU) (1979-1985).
 The AASU objected the inclusion of “foreign nationals” in the Draft
Electoral Rolls published in April 1979.
 Fear: the large scale migration of immigrants was overwhelming the
native population, undermining their cultural and linguistic rights and
affecting their domination over economic resources (land, business,
employment, businesses, etc.), and political rights.
 The movement demanded the identification and deportation of illegal
foreigners.
 The movement ended with the signing of Assam Accord on 15 Aug.,
1985.

6.  The Assam Accord 1985:
The Assam Movement agreed to accept all migrants who came to Assam
prior to 1 January 1966.
The GOI acknowledged the political, social, cultural and economic concerns
of Assamese people.
It agreed to revise the electoral database based on 1 January 1966.
It agreed to identify and deport any and all refugees and migrants after
March 25 1971.
It agreed to secure the international border with Bangladesh
Maintain records of birth and death of citizens.

7. Formation of the AGP
 2 months after the signing of Assam Accord, AGP was formed.
 Three day political convention began on 12 October 1985 with
the objective of forming a viable alternative to replace the then
congress government headed by Hiteswar Saikia.
 The Congress party had ruled Assam since India’s independence,
with a brief break in 1978 when the Janata government under
Golap Chandra Borbora came to power.
 A 38 member state committee was formed with Prafulla Kumar
Mahanta, ex-president of AASU, as President in-chief.

8. Aims and Objectives of the Party
 In the paper, “Asom Gana Parishad,” published in The Indian Journal of
Political Science in 1988, Niru Hazarika has listed the following aims and
objectives of the party:
 1. To build up a truly progressive and egalitarian society based on the
principles of political equality, economic development and social justice.
 2. To strive for more powers for the state on the basis of a truly federal
structure.
 3. To strengthen the foundations of local economy by proper utilisation of
natural resources of the state so that the people of Assam can reap the
benefits of such natural assets.
 4. To fully preserve and protect the state's forests and other reserved areas
and to render barren lands productive by adopting modern methods of
agriculture.

9.  5. To achieve a balanced development of agriculture and industry and to
provide special incentives to local entrepreneurs.
 6. To provide full protection to the interests of local people in matters of
employment of all kinds.
 7. To reorient state plan for the optimum welfare of the people so that the
resultant benefits reach out to the weakest.
 8. To protect fully the interests of the local peasants and workers by
adoption of suitable land and industrial reform measures.
 9. To extend equal opportunities to all in matters of education, to introduce
employment oriented education, and to ensure autonomy of institutions
imparting higher education.
 10. To ensure amity and harmony among all sections people, and to take
all steps for the upliftment of all indigenous languages and cultures.
 11. To work for unity and integration on the basis of nationalistic ideals
among the people.

10.  12. To extend health care facilities to all especially the economically
weakest by decentralising health-care services.
 13. To abolish urban orientation by improving communication and
transport facilities to non-urban areas.
 14. To build up a scientific temper in the society by laying appropriate
emphasis on science and technology to keep abreast with the
advancement of modern age.
 15. To extend cooperation in facing national issues and when occasions
arise, to all democratic and secular parties who are opposed to regional
imbalances and are respectfully sympathetic towards small nationalities.
 16. To work for the complete implementation of all the provisions of the
constitution of India relating to the protection and upliftment of all the
backward classes, SCs and STs of the plains and the hills.
 17. To work in cooperation with like-minded regional parties of the north-
eastern region for resolve common issues.

11.  Bijaya Konwar in her PhD thesis, Party Politics in Assam (2018)
argues that the aims and objectives of the AGP extend to the
social, economic, cultural aspects.
 It reflects the party’s commitment towards the socio-economic
progress of the state, political harmony, promotion of education
and health care system, rural development, etc.

12. Organisation of the Party
 The organisation of AGP is as follows:
1. The Central Committee (CC) or Kendriya Sabha
 The CC is the highest tier of AGP.
 Its membership is inclusive of Members of State Legislative Assembly and
Members of Parliament of the party and 4 Representatives from each District
Committee.
 The affairs of the party is managed by the Central Executive Committee (CEC)
whose office bearers are: the President, Vice-president, General Secretaries,
Secretaries, Treasurer, Members and Nominated Members.
2. District Committees (DCs) or Zila Sabha
 The DCs operate at the district levels.
 Each Regional Committee within the jurisdiction of the DC send 5 members
to the DCs.
 In each DC, there is an Executive Committee whose office bearers are: the
President, Vice-president, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, and few Members.

13. 3. Regional Committees (RCs) or Anchalik Sabha
 The RCs are intermediary bodies between the District Committees and the
village levels.
 Membership of the RC is derived from representatives sent by each Village
Committees within its jurisdiction.
 Each Village committees send 20 members.
 Each RC has an executive committee with the following office bearers: the
President, Vice-president, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, and few Members.
4. Village Committees (VCs) or Gao Sabha
 The VCs constitute the grassroots organisation of the party.
 All primary members of the party within the village are members of the VC.
 The minimum number of members per VC is 50.
 The VCs are led by an Executive Committee with the President, Vice-president,
Secretary, Assistant Secretary, and few Members as its office bearers.

14. Ideology of AGP
Meaning:
 Ideology is a set of ideas that constitute the basic foundation and background of
political parties.
 It lays the foundation on which a political party builds its concrete programmes
and plans of action and set goals to be achieved.
AGP’s Ideology:
 The ideology of the AGP centres around the protection of the socio-cultural,
linguistic, economic and political interests of the indigenous people of Assam.
 Based on the ideology, AGP has been demanding for update of NRC, detection
and deportation of foreign nationals, sealing of Assam-Bangladesh border and
implementation of Assam Accord 1985.
 It also makes efforts to establish strong federal structure in India, fight racial
discrimination and corruption and to unite all regional parties of Assam.
 It is also concern about civic amenities like transportation, water supply and
electricity; the welfare services like health care and education; the development
of the state; employment generation for its people; development of industries
and rural areas; environmental issues, etc.

15. Elections Manifesto of the AGP
 Elections manifestoes are plans, programmes and promises that a
political party promises to execute and fulfil if it is elected to power by
the public during the time of election.
 Normally, they highlight the party’s achievements (in case the party
concern has previously formed government), criticism of opposition
political parties’ performance, and the plans and promises of the
concern political party.
 Manifestoes may be considered as visions and mission of a political
party.
AGP’s Manifesto from 1985 to 2021
 Bijaya Konwar has highlighted the manifestoes of the AGP in here
PhD thesis, Party Politics in Assam (2018).
 Being a political party of Assam, the party has pledged to serve the
interest and solve problems that concern the people of Assam.

16. Manifesto of the AGP in 1985 Assembly election:
 Implementation of Assam Accord 1985.
 Integration and establish good will among the various religious, linguistic
and ethnic communities of Assam following an alleged divide and rule
policies of the Congress party.
 To restore fundamental democratic rights of citizens of Assam following an
alleged repressive policies of the Congress government.
 To bring about clean administration.
 To bring about development in agriculture, industries and business of the
people of Assam – economic development of Assam for local people.
 Protection of land including tea garden of the indigenous people.
 Making financial availability through banking systems for businesses of
the people of Assam.
 AGP won the election and formed government in Assam.

17. Manifesto of the AGP in 1991 Assembly election : (24/03)
 To struggle for greater autonomy and right to self determination of the
people of Assam.
 To bring solution to ethnic conflict in the state.
 AGP demanded the abolition of article 365 of the Indian Constitution
(president rule) and promised to fight for more power for the governments
at the state – true federalism.
 Demanded the creation of North-East Circle to solve problems of North
East.
 Promised to solve tribal problems – protection and development of culture,
language, social system of different tribal communities.
 Enhance local self-government in line with Panchayati raj system.
 Implementation of Assam Accord – 1985.
 Promised opposition to communal politics.
 Protection of the integrity and territory of Assam.

18.  It promised to enhance the health care services, education, electricity,
welfare of the SCs and STs and OBCs, tea labourers and ex-tea labourers,
women, students.
 To develop agriculture, industry and business and provide employment to
people and to arrest inflation.
 To develop science and technology, improve transport and communication.
 To improve state exchequer, improve administration, improve law and
order, improve tourism, contain flood problem, protect environment,
protect historical monuments, etc.
 AGP did not come to power.
Manifesto of the AGP in 1996 election:
 To work for unity and integrity of the people, to end, what it alleged,
Congress misrule, to implement Assam Accord, to solve flood and soil
erosion problem, to provide employment to people, prevent inflation, to
encourage control over administration by indigenous people.

19.  To develop the rural economy and industries, to develop transport and
communication, to develop forests and tourism.
 To provide welfare for SC, ST, OBCs and tea garden labourers.
 To provide social welfare, improve health care, education, etc.
 The AGP won the election and formed government in Assam.
Manifesto of the AGP in 2001 Assembly election:
 AGP formed pre-poll alliance with the BJP.
 There were 23 points highlighting the performance of its previous
government.
 It claimed that it had brought peace and amity among the masses, it had
improved the financial position of the state, it was successful in pursuing
certain aspects of Assam Accord, developed Numaligarh refinery, etc., it had
improved the employment opportunities of the people, controlled inflation,
developed agriculture, formulated industrial policies and developed
commercial activities and transport and communication sectors.

20.  It promised to enhance economic development of the state, to bring political
stability, administrative transparency, to further decrease unemployment rate, to
bring peace, to solve flood problem, to enhance transport and communication,
to improve education, health care, to improve the functioning of the Panchayati
raj institutions, to improve life of tea workers, to ensure development of
minorities, to prevent terrorism and human rights violation, to fight for
federalism and decentralisation of power, etc.
Manifesto of the AGP in 2006 Assembly election :
 AGP promised the domination of the indigenous people over the state, solutions
to problems like unemployment, flood, health care, education, environment,
price rise.
 It promised to push for the implementation of Assam Accord, to provide security
to people, to provide welfare to ST, SCs and OBCs, peaceful resolution to
militancy, economic development, urban development, sports, etc.
 AGP did not win the election.

21. Manifesto of the AGP in 2011 Assembly election
 Implementation of Assam Accord, corruption free administration, solve
insurgency problem and bring peace, enhance human resource development
and create job, opposition to big dams, solve flood problem, inflation, education,
demand for more power to states, development of land, agriculture and
irrigation, decentralisation and improvement of Panchayati raj institutions,
women empowerment, development of youth by forming youth policy and youth
commission, development of child rights, etc.
 AGP did not win the election.
2016 Assembly election: AGP formed alliance with BJP and BPF
 Promised complete implementation of Assam Accord, more power to the states,
administrative reforms, solve unemployment, educational reforms, solve
interstate border disputes, protection of wild life and forest, equal development
for the whole state, welfare for youths, students, children, women and elderly,
industrialisation and town planning, development of agriculture, promote sports
and culture, etc. – AGP formed govt. with BJP and other parties.

22. 2021 Assembly election:
 Form pre-poll alliance with the BJP and other political parties.
 Promised steps to free agricultural land from illegal infiltrators.
 To implement Clause 6 of Assam Accord – “Constitutional, legislative and
administrative safeguards, as may be appropriate, shall be provided to
protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and
heritage of the Assamese people”.
 To pressure the centre to detect and deport illegal foreigners.
 To complete the foreigners free National Register of Citizens.
 Solution of flood problem, unemployment, inter-state boundary disputes,
tackle corruption.

23.  It promised that it would work for development of the state, agriculture,
health and education, development of language and culture, welfare of
backward groups like ST, SC, OBCs and tea workers, etc.
 It was silent on CAA, though opposed it in 2019, and threatened to pull out
of BJP led government then.
 AGP is in power with the BJP now.
AGP’s Performance in State Legislative Assembly Elections
 In 1985, out of the 126 Assam legislative assembly seats, AGP won 82
seats and formed the government with Prafulla Mahanta as the CM.
 In 1991 legislative assembly election, only 19 AGP candidates won.
 The AGP bounced back in 1996 by winning 59 seats and formed the
government in the state with P. Mahanta as the CM.
 In 2001 its number of winning candidates was reduced to 20.
 In 2006 state assembly elections, it won 24 seats.
 In 2011, it won only 10 seats.

24.  In 2011, main leaders like Sarbananda Sonowal left the party for
BJP.
 In 2016, AGP form a pre-poll alliance with the BJP and others under
the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
 It was given to contest in 24 seats and won 14 seats and was part
of the NDA government with Sarbananda Sonowal as the CM.
 The NDA alliance continued in the 2021 state assembly election
with the AGP allotted to contest in 29 MLA seats out of which it
won 9 seats.
 It is now part of the NDA government led by Himanta Biswa Sarma.
 In the 2016 and 2021 elections, the AGP has been playing second
fiddle to the BJP.

25. AGP’s Performance in Lok Sabha Elections
 In 1991 Lok Sabha election, AGP won 1 seat out of 14 seats.
 In 1996, it won 5 out of 14 seats.
 The party did not win any seat in the 1998 and 1999 general
elections.
 In 2004 it won 2 seats and in 2009, it won 1 seat.
 AGP did not win any seat in 2014 and 2019 general elections.
Observations:
 The performance of the AGP in state legislative assembly, though
successful in the early stage of its existence, has witnessed a decline.
 It has been playing second fiddle to the BJP in the last two assembly
elections.
 The party has not performed very well in the Lok Sabha elections.
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