Guwahati, Feb 21: The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the North East Peoples Forum (NEPF) are trying to form an alliance to stop the Congress from romping home once again in the region. The AGP today threw a tea party in honour of NEPF chairman and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphu Rio while NCP leader P A Sangma held a secret meeting last night with AGP President Brindabon Goswami. The BJP in Assam had refused to recognize the existence of the NEPF. ''We had a very good meeting which can be termed as very positive. The AGP president has informed us that he would go back to his party and meet his executive members before taking the final decision of alliance,'' said Mr Rio while talking to a news agency at the Nagaland House this morning. AGP General Secretary Dilip Saikia Sonowal said, ''nothing had been finalised yet, but the NEPF chairman had sought our help in strengthening the anti-Congress platform.''

He and six other general secretaries beside Finance Secretary Padma Hazarika and spokesman Jagadish Bhuyan along with President Brindabon Goswami formed the AGP team.

Meanwhile, Mr Rio had flown to New Delhi this afternoon to meet Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani about the poll related development in the region and to decide the final strategy.


In today's meeting Mr Sangma had a long talk with Mr Rio and another important NEPF player, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, to chalk out a strategy.

Bureau Report