Saturday, August 13 2005 15:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Guwahati: The opposition Asom Gana Parishad has expelled two legislators, Sahidul Alam Choudhury and Utpal Dutta, considered close to former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, from the party for alleged anti-party activity.

Party sources said here today (Aug 13, 2005) that the decision to expel the two MLAs, who are also former ministers in the State Government, was taken at the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP's ) steering committee meeting in Guwahati presided over by party President Brindaban Goswami yesterday night (Aug 12, 2005).

With the expulsion of the two legislators, the strength of the party in the Assembly has come down to 16.

Choudhury and Dutta, both ministers in Mahanta's ministry, were served a show-cause notice earlier when the former Chief Minister was expelled from the party.

Mahanta, who was the founder-president and twice Chief Minister of the state, was removed from the top post of the party in 2001 and finally expelled on July three, this year.

After Mahanta's expulsion, the AGP's youth wing, Asom Yuba Parishad, had split on July 21 followed by a split in the women's wing, Asom Mahila Parishad, on July 31 with the breakaway groups pledging support to the former party President.