Map 1.1 Location of Assam
5.3 Bhrigu Kumar Phukan and Prafulla Kumar Mahanta
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explanation from him as to why disciplinary action be not taken against him due to his anti party activities145. The proposal goes as follows…
“The central executive committee unanimously ratifies the proposal, as advised by the AGP legislative party, to suspend Bhrigu Kumar Phukan, current MLA of the party, who repeatedly broke the party rules as enshrined in the constitution and is involved in conspiracy of overthrowing the AGP-led coalition government, from the primary membership of the party.”146
Thus, Phukan, who was not present in the meeting, was sacked in haste and few people spoke in his favour in the executive committee meeting and against the proposal. Some of the colleagues of Mahanta even demanded suspension of Brindaban Goswami too for anti party activity. Atul Bora, the PWD Minister, Jatin Mali, the Education Minister and Digen Bora, the Food and Supplies Minister were very much vocal against Bhrigu Kumar Phukan. Atul Bora moved the suspension proposal and the other two elaborated the necessity of it.
5.3.1 The one man one post system
In the same meeting, an important amendment to the AGP constitution was also ratified, viz. the ‘one man one post’ system was abolished from the constitution.
Accordingly, the section 30 (1) was amended. The provision as amended was:
“Any member of the AGP can hold one executive post in the government and one post of office bearer in the party at the same time”147.
The amendment was in fact moved to cater the factional interests. Discretionary power of the Working Committee was increased by amending the section 35 of the constitution. It empowered the Working Committee to take immediate action against any member who involves in such activities that malign the image of the
145 Proceeding of the central executive committee meeting held on 7th August, 1997, p.118.
146 ibid.
147 ibid. p127.
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party. The committee would either call for explanation or suspend the person from the party.148 This established the fact that an autocratic tendency ruled over the party which was pointed out by Bhrigu Kumar Phukan initially. He after being expelled from the AGP started to unite all the dissidents of the party and created public opinion against the Mahanta led AGP government. Phukan alleged in an interview that Mahanta is surrounded by some bad elements and he was working on their advice. He started behaving in an autocratic manner after the Lakhimpur general convention. In a retrospective note, Phukan said,
“Even after 12 years, there is no political culture in the party. The leaders are only hankering after power and money. People will never forgive us if we indulge in corruption, if we commit public nuisance. They have a different image about us, and so if our ministers start behaving like the Congress, the people will not tolerate it.149”
He again said,
“My personal feeling is that there is some political blackmail going on because Mahanta is involved in the LoC scam and the Centre is taking full advantage of the incapability of the Chief Minister. The AGP government has become a puppet government and the Center is doing what it likes.150”
He advised that the Unified Command be withdrawn for one month and peace talk be started immediately.
5.3.2 Formation of the Asom Jatiya Sanmilan (AJS) and abrasion of AGP vote bank
Meanwhile, the United Front coalition government at the center, led by Inder Kumar Gujral of Janata Dal, was facing a crisis and the possibility of fresh parliamentary election was in the offing. Bhrigu Kumar Phukan and his supporters started to mobilize the people at the district level. A new political party named Asom Jatiya Sanmilan (AJS) came into existence towards the end of December, 1997. Dinabandhu Choudhury a former senior leader of the NAGP became the
148 ibid. p126.
149 Brigu Kumar Phukan, Interview with Sumit Das Gupta of the Sunday magazine, retrieved from http://www.rediff.com/news/dec/26assam4.htm on 15th May, 2016
150 ibid.
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president and Hemanta Barman was the general secretary. Israiel Nanda, Chandra Arandhara, Samar Saikia were other important leaders who sided with the AJS.
The party was strengthened by the support of the martyrs’ family of the Assam movement, the workers of the movement who felt betrayed by the Mahanta faction and common people who had to bear the military atrocities during counter insurgency operations of the unified command. The corruption charges and inefficiency of the AGP government created crisis of governance at that time. The AJS convened political convention at Guwahati in the month of November, 1997 to garner support from the Assamese community. The AJS announced that it would support likeminded independent candidates in the coming election to the Indian parliament. Gautam Uzir as the candidate of the AJS from the Gauhati constituency eroded the support base of the AGP candidate Prabin Sarmah. Same was the case of the AGP candidate, Deba Kumar Bora in Jorhat constituency. In Nawgong, BJP candidate took the advantage of the abrasion of AGP vote bank. Ultimately, the AJS caused the second split in the AGP.