BJP holds crucial meeting with allies over seat-sharing in Assam at Amit Shah's residence

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies - Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) - are holding crucial negotiations in Delhi to hammer out a seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Assembly election in Assam.

The leaders from these parties met Union home minister Amit Shah, and have now reached BJP chief JP Nadda's residence. Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, his cabinet colleague Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam BJP in-charge Jay Panda and other BJP leaders are part of the group which are holding negotiations.

News agency PTI quoted a leader aware of the development to say that the seat-sharing arrangement is likely to be finalised tonight.

The AGP won 14 of the 126 seats in the elections held in 2016, while the UPPL is a new partner for the BJP in these polls. The BJP won 60 seats in the 2016 Assembly elections in Assam.

The meeting comes a day before the central election committee of the BJP meets to finalise the its candidates for the Assembly elections in four states and union territory of Puducherry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expeced to attend the meeting tomorrow.

The huddle comes weeks before the polling is held in the first phase of Assam Assembly elections.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) last week announced poll schedule for elections in four states and union territoy of Puducherry. The elections in Assam will be held in three phases beginning March 27.

The ECI on Wednesday called a meeting of its observers where it advised them on how to conduct the elections seamlessly, especially at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic is ravaging across the country.

The last day of filing the nomination for the first phase of Assam polls in March 9. Sonowal's Majuli and AGP president Bora's Bokakhat constituencies will go for polling in the first phase.