BJP in talks with AGP to form govt in Assam: Jaitley

BJP today claimed it foresaw the possibility of a non-Congress government coming to power in Assam assembly elections and said it is in talks with AGP to explore the possibilities of forming the next dispensation.

"There is a strong anti-Congress mood in Assam. The party is in for a shock," senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley told PTI, adding Congress will not be able to form the next government.

The Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha is election in-charge of BJP for Assam and West Bengal. He campaigned extensively in Assam for his party last week.

"BJP and AGP will gain in the state and this will be at the cost of the Congress," he claimed.

Jaitley said BJP had opened channels of communication with AGP and got positive signals from it.

"We are open to an alliance with AGP and their attitude too has been positive," he said in reply to a question.

Sources said BJP and AGP are open to forming a government if they get the numbers.

AGP had been a part of the BJP-led alliance earlier. During the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, it had come back to NDA-fold but walked out again.

Though no pre-poll alliance could be finalised between the two parties during the current Assembly elections, there is said to be a tacit understanding between them in distribution of tickets.