Former Assam CM resigns as AGP chief

Former Assam chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta Monday resigned as the president of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) after its debacle in the recent general elections.

The two-time former chief minister said his decision came in the wake of the party's poor performance in the recent panchayat polls and the Lok Sabha election, where the AGP failed to win even a single Lok Sabha seat.

"We have fared poorly in the recent elections. I have decided to step down, taking responsibility for this poor show. Our working president Atul Bora will take the responsibility from now on," Mahanta told reporters after a meeting at the party headquarters Monday.

Mahanta, however, said he will not resign as a legislator and continue working towards revamping the party.

The regional party, which ruled the state twice after storming to power in 1985, failed to win a single seat in the Lok Sabha polls.

Many senior leaders, who were instrumental in forming the party, distanced themselves from it in the last few years.

Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Chandra Mohan Patowary and Hiten Goswami resigned from the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party expressing dissatisfaction over Mahanta's leadership.