A founder member and legislator of the Asom Gana Parishad, Pabindra Deka, resigned from the party on Tuesday claiming the AGP had not only lost its regional character, which was “exposed by its silence on the Citizenship Amendment Act, but was also “completely” under the control of the BJP.

Deka, a three-time MLA from Patacharkuchi in lower Assam, former AASU president and minister told The Telegraph that he had no option but to leave the AGP, an offshoot of the Assam Agitation against illegal foreigners, because the party has “given up” its responsibility towards the people, economy or politics and is now run by a “small group” only interested in becoming ministers.

“Being associated with regionalism since my student days, I had openly opposed the CAA but the party sidelined me. I was the vice-president but they ignored me in the new committee set up recently. They say they are against CAA and that they have challenged it legally. But at the same time they are still with the BJP and are ministers in the BJP-led government. Didn’t the BJP-led Centre impose the law despite widespread protests in the state? The AGP voted in favour of the CAA in Parliament even though the party had decided to oppose it. They are silent now. It stands exposed. I had no option but to leave,” Deka said.

The CAA makes it easier for non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan to acquire Indian citizenship, which is seen by most in Assam as a threat to the state’s identity and culture. The second phase of agitation against the law has resumed and is likely to intensify before the Assembly polls.

“The AGP is under the BJP’s control. They are talking about contesting from seats won by the AGP in 2016. I foresee the AGP suffering the same fate as the Bodoland People’s Front as it grows in strength. The AGP workers and leaders at the grassroots are unhappy with the prevailing state of affairs under the present leadership which has now even started being sarcastic about student protests, forgetting the party is a product of the AASU-spearheaded Assam Agitation. They have apparently given up on the promise of protecting jati (community), mati (land), bheti (hearth) of Assam,” Deka said.

BPF is an ally of the BJP in the state government but the ruling party not only contested the BTC polls alone but launched a bitter campaign against them. Though the BPF managed emerged as the single largest party in the BTC polls and fell short by four seats to form the council, the BJP did not help it and instead tied up with its rivals, the United People’s Party Liberal and the Gana Suraksha Party, to form the council on Tuesday.

After announcing his resignation, Deka left for Sivasagar where the Assam Jatiya Parishad, a new regional party backed by the All Assam Students Union and the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, is holding its two-day debut convention. He is expected to join the new party. Former AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi will be joining the party on Wednesday. Sources said Gogoi may be handed a key position in the new party.

AGP insiders said Deka’s departure should not be seen in isolation and that “at least four-five” AGP legislators are on the verge of quitting since the top brass are more concerned about their friendship with the BJP than the “promise” made to the people and its bounden duty to strengthen the party.

“The AGP, Congress, and to some extent the AIUDF, will see a lot of churning before the polls because the new parties, especially Raijor Dal and Assam Jatiya Parishad, may offer a choice to aspiring candidates, ticket-seekers and voters. The Congress needs to go back to the boardroom if it wants to remain in the contest,” a political observer said.

AGP spokesperson Manoj Saikia said that Deka was planning to leave because his chances of winning in the next polls was very thin. “His position is not good. That is why he left,” he said.

Saikia also said the AGP is against the CAA and is fighting it legally since it has already become a law. “We are opposed to it, let there be no doubt. Moreover, we are an ally of the BJP. We have not joined the BJP. We are working in the field to strengthen the party before the polls. We will do well,” he added.