Assam Lok Sabha polls: BJP to contest 11 seats, rest three for allies AGP and UPPL

Guwahati: The BJP will contest 11 seats in the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls in Assam, leaving three for its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.

The AGP will contest from Barpeta and Dhubri, while UPPL will field its candidate in Kokrajhar.

The allies will support each other's candidates in all the 14 constituencies, Sarma said.

"Yesterday, BJP state chief Bhabesh Kalita and I had a meeting with our national president J P Nadda, Union Home minister Amit Shah and our national general secretary B L Santosh, during which the seat-sharing was discussed," he told a press conference at the party headquarters here.

He said UPPL had requested for the Kokrajhar seat, which the BJP agreed to.

"The AGP, which has its base across the state, wanted more seats. But, I conveyed to them the request of our central leadership to contest from two seats this time, and they have obliged us," the CM said.

"Of the total 14 seats, we are optimistic of winning 11," he said.

The BJP has nine MPs in the outgoing Lok Sabha from the state, while the AGP and UPPL have no representation.

The Congress holds three seats and the AIUDF one, while another is with an independent candidate.