Prafulla Kumar Mahanta
Encyclopedia
Prafulla Kumar Mahanta was the leader of the Assam Movement, a former Chief Minister of Assam (two terms) and belongs to the Asom Gana Parishad
(AGP), a major political party in the India
n state of Assam
. He became the youngest ever chief minister of India when the AGP came to power in 1985.
He served as the chief minister of the state for two terms, (1985–1990) and (1996–2001), and was one of the youngest chief minister's in the country's history. He is a former president of the All Assam Students Union
, a student organization that spearheaded the Assam Movement between 1979 and 1985. In August 2005, his membership in the AGP was terminated and he floated a new political party, Asom Gana Parishad (Progressive)
, on September 15, 2005.
Despite allegations levelled against him specially on the secret killings as pointed by the Saikia Commission, his need in the Asom Gana Parishad was largely felt before the Indian general election, 2009
to fill the lacuna of leadership. He was re-inducted into the AGP after the AGP (Progressive) was dissolved during the Presidentship of Chandra Mohon Patowary. Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has again become an integral part of the party.
In a recent interview on NDTV
in Walk the Talk with Shekhar Gupta
, Editor-in-Chief, The Indian Express
, Prafulla Mahanta has clearly said- "For the sake of the integrity and security of India
, we are ready to take any blame. If the insurgent groups attack our forces, then they (the security forces) must have the right to respond. However, the charge against me on extra judicial killings of the ULFA sympathisers is to malign my image." In the same interview he has also pointed finger to some unknown agncies of the Congress Party
for conspiring some massacres during the Assam Movement in the early eighties.
On September 4, 2010 he was unanimously elected as the Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly.
Besides the chief minister of the state, Prafulla Mahanta is still regarded as the other most powerful and influential politician of Assam.
Asom Gana Parishad
Asom Gana Parishad is a state political party in Assam, India. The AGP was formed after the historic Assam Accord of 1985 when Prafulla Kumar Mahanta was elected as the youngest chief minister of the country...
(AGP), a major political party in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
. He became the youngest ever chief minister of India when the AGP came to power in 1985.
He served as the chief minister of the state for two terms, (1985–1990) and (1996–2001), and was one of the youngest chief minister's in the country's history. He is a former president of the All Assam Students Union
All Assam Students Union
All Assam Students Union is a five-tier students' union in Assam, India.All Assam Students Union or AASU is a students' organization in Assam, India. It is best known for leading the six-year Assam Movement against alleged illegal immigrants from Bangladesh...
, a student organization that spearheaded the Assam Movement between 1979 and 1985. In August 2005, his membership in the AGP was terminated and he floated a new political party, Asom Gana Parishad (Progressive)
Asom Gana Parishad (Progressive)
Asom Gana Parishad , or AGP, was a regional political party in Assam, India. It was formed by Prafulla Kumar Mahanta after he was expelled in 2005 by the Asom Gana Parishad for anti-party activities....
, on September 15, 2005.
Despite allegations levelled against him specially on the secret killings as pointed by the Saikia Commission, his need in the Asom Gana Parishad was largely felt before the Indian general election, 2009
Indian general election, 2009
India held general elections to the 15th Lok Sabha in five phases between 16 April 2009 and 13 May 2009. With an electorate of 714 million , it was the largest democratic election in the world to date.By constitutional requirement, elections to the Lok Sabha must be...
to fill the lacuna of leadership. He was re-inducted into the AGP after the AGP (Progressive) was dissolved during the Presidentship of Chandra Mohon Patowary. Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has again become an integral part of the party.
In a recent interview on NDTV
NDTV
NDTV is an Indian commercial broadcasting television network founded in 1988. It was founded by Prannoy Roy, an eminent journalist and current chairman and director of NDTV Group. NDTV currently has more than 1,000 employees producing news from over twenty locations in India...
in Walk the Talk with Shekhar Gupta
Shekhar Gupta
Shekhar Gupta is the editor-in-chief of The Indian Express..Credibility and high integrity, in addition to a persistent sense of inquiry, fairness and professionalism are the hallmark of his editorial leadership. In his own writings, as well as under his editorship...
, Editor-in-Chief, The Indian Express
The Indian Express
The Indian Express is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. It is published in Mumbai by Indian Express Group. After Ramnath Goenka's death in 1991, the group was split in 1999 among his family members into two with the southern editions taking the name The New Indian Express, while the old...
, Prafulla Mahanta has clearly said- "For the sake of the integrity and security of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, we are ready to take any blame. If the insurgent groups attack our forces, then they (the security forces) must have the right to respond. However, the charge against me on extra judicial killings of the ULFA sympathisers is to malign my image." In the same interview he has also pointed finger to some unknown agncies of the Congress Party
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
for conspiring some massacres during the Assam Movement in the early eighties.
On September 4, 2010 he was unanimously elected as the Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly.
Besides the chief minister of the state, Prafulla Mahanta is still regarded as the other most powerful and influential politician of Assam.