I still remember the winter of 1985. I was a school-going teenager then, and along with a few friends, we made several trips to the nearby polling station, pushing elderly voters in handcarts—my grandmother among them. They knew exactly whom to vote for: the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). The excitement was electric.
I recall my mother joyfully telling our neighbour, “If the AGP comes to power, everything will change for good.” The air was filled with hope. It wasn’t just a party we were supporting—it was a movement we had lived, a revolution we believed in. Just a few years earlier, during the peak of the Assam Movement, my mother, aunts, and thousands of other women had stepped out of their kitchens to sit in protest, demanding dignity, rights, and protection of identity.
But that hope didn’t last.
Years later, I remember hearing the same mother—disillusioned, angry—say in bitterness, “They are all the same.” That one sentence, loaded with heartbreak, captured the story of not just a family, but of an entire generation’s faith in regional politics—faith that has now eroded into insignificance.
From Revolution to Disappointment: The Rise and Fall of AGP
The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), born in the aftermath of the Assam Movement (1979–1985), came to power with unprecedented support. Led by student leaders of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), it was seen as the legitimate voice of the Assamese people—promising a clean, indigenous, and visionary government.
In the 1985 Assembly elections, AGP stormed to power. It was a moment unlike any other in Indian politics: a student movement transitioning into governance, cheered on by a public desperate for change.
But within years, that promise began to unravel.
The LOC Scam and the Collapse of Trust
The Letter of Credit (LOC) scam, which emerged during AGP’s first term, involved fraudulent procurement deals that drained over ₹200 crore from the state exchequer. Senior ministers were implicated. Public perception shifted rapidly—from idealism to betrayal.
For a party that had been elected on the promise of integrity, this was devastating. It was no longer the “clean” alternative to the Congress—it had become indistinguishable from the establishment it once opposed.
Insurgency: AGP’s Frankenstein
As the AGP floundered in governance, a parallel force—the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA)—was gaining ground. Many saw ULFA as an ideological cousin of the Assam Movement, and the AGP, driven by caution or sympathy, failed to rein them in during its early years.
This indecision proved costly. ULFA’s violent campaigns of extortion, bombings, and assassinations intensified during AGP’s rule. Public safety deteriorated. AGP was accused of creating a monster it couldn’t control—ULFA became its “Frankenstein.”
During AGP’s second tenure (1996–2001), the pendulum swung to the other extreme. The state was accused of sponsoring “secret killings”—alleged extrajudicial executions of ULFA members’ families. Instead of protecting Assamese lives, AGP was now seen as complicit in their unlawful deaths.
It was a complete moral collapse—from tolerance of insurgency to state-sponsored terror.
Factionalism and the Fall of Cohesion
Internally, AGP was plagued by ego clashes and splits. Leaders who once stood shoulder-to-shoulder during protests were now tearing the party apart. From AGP (Progressive) to AGP (Original), the alphabet soup of factions confused voters and diluted its strength.
With no clear leader, no ideological evolution, and a shrinking voter base, AGP became a pale reflection of its glorious past.
National Parties Fill the Void
As AGP stumbled, national parties, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stepped in. The BJP strategically adopted Assamese nationalist rhetoric, formed alliances with AGP, and then gradually dominated the space.
Today, AGP remains a junior partner in BJP’s coalition, rarely asserting itself on key policy issues. Its relevance is more ceremonial than political.
The Congress, though diminished, continues to maintain a statewide organisational presence—something AGP and its successors have failed to rebuild.
The New Regional Players: Faint Echoes or Future Voices?
Beyond AGP, other regional parties have emerged over time. Each was born from a specific cultural, ethnic, or political need, but none have grown beyond their silos.
Here’s a closer look at their trajectories:
🟢 All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF)
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Founded: 2005 by Maulana Badruddin Ajmal
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Base: Bengali-speaking Muslims in lower and central Assam
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Focus: Minority rights, NRC/CAA-related anxieties
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Strength: Electorally influential in Dhubri, Barpeta, Nagaon
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Limitation: Accused of communal polarisation; limited cross-community appeal
Despite its strength in specific constituencies, AIUDF has not been able to emerge as a unifying regional force. It is seen more as a vote bank manager than a people’s movement.
🟡 Bodoland People’s Front (BPF)
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Founded: 2005 by Hagrama Mohilary
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Base: Bodo-dominated districts in western Assam
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Focus: Tribal autonomy, governance of BTC
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Achievement: Longest-ruling party in Bodoland (2005–2020)
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Decline: Lost BTC to UPPL and fell out with BJP
Once a kingmaker, BPF is now struggling to regain lost territory, with limited influence outside Bodo regions.
🟠 Raijor Dal (RD)
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Founded: 2020 by Akhil Gogoi
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Base: Progressive Assamese youth, civil society
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Focus: Anti-CAA activism, farmers’ rights, transparency
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Achievement: Akhil Gogoi won from Sibsagar
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Limitation: Weak organisation, overlaps with AJP, low scalability
Despite its activist roots and media spotlight, RD remains more symbolic than impactful.
🔵 United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL)
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Founded: 2015; led by Pramod Boro
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Base: Bodoland Territorial Region
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Focus: Development, peace, clean governance
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Current Status: Ruling BTC with BJP support
While UPPL represents a generational shift in Bodo politics, it is still heavily dependent on its alliance with the BJP and lacks wider Assam-level appeal.
Media Blind Spots and Narrative Loss
Another critical issue is the failure of regional parties to build modern communication strategies. In an era of social media, 24×7 news cycles, and influencer-driven messaging, they have fallen behind national parties that dominate the digital narrative.
With weak visibility, especially among urban and first-time voters, regional parties have become politically mute even when present in name.
Conclusion: From Fervour to Fragments
The story of regional political parties in Assam is one of dreams turned disillusioned. From handcart rides to polling booths in 1985 to fractured alliances and lost causes today, the journey has been tragic.
Yet, the need for strong regional voices hasn’t disappeared. Assam still grapples with flood mismanagement, cultural erosion, border disputes, and youth unemployment—issues national parties often sideline.
If regional parties are to matter again, they must:
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Reform internally—ending ego-driven politics
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Rebuild trust—starting from the grassroots
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Modernise communication—to reach the digital generation
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Broaden their vision—beyond identity to inclusive development
Until then, they will remain on the sidelines of Assam’s politics—not because the people rejected the idea of regionalism, but because those entrusted with that responsibility failed to rise above their own limitations.
