A group of protesters on Saturday was prevented by AGP workers from staging a dharna against the AGP’s re-alliance with the BJP at the party headquarters here in Ambari.

The group of five — Abu Jana Bulbuli, Namrata Sarma, Aditi Kalita, Trishna Devi and Amit Chakravarty — gathered on Saturday at Ambari bus stop here at around 1.30pm and started marching towards the AGP headquarters, which is around 50 metres away. The protesters were stopped before they reached the office.

“We don’t belong to any political party. We are supporters of the AGP for many years. We are not against the party but against those who have joined hands with the BJP for power and have betrayed the grassroots workers. We wanted to stage a peaceful protest in front of the office. But some party workers forcefully prevented us and assaulted us,” one of the protesters, Trishna Devi, told The Telegraph.

One AGP worker was detained.

“We condemn the incident. Those who assaulted the women are not our members. Sushil Deka, who reportedly assaulted the women, has been suspended for two days from the party membership. It is a conspiracy to lower the image of the AGP,” party spokesperson Tapan Das said.

Police said, “If any FIR is filed by the protesters against the alleged assault, we will definitely take action.”

Nearly 100 AGP workers vandalised the party office in Jorhat on Friday protesting the decision to renew the party’s alliance with the BJP.

On the other hand, suspended AGP central executive member Pranab Goswami expressed anger over his suspension during a news conference here on Saturday. He said, “It is not me but those who suspended me who are indulging in anti- party activities.”