Wednesday, September 20 2006 14:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Guwahati: Two-time former Assam chief minister and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) founder Prafulla Kumar Mahanta could bounce back after being in political wilderness for nearly five years.

The AGP that got a drubbing in the last two assembly elections at the hands of the ruling Congress is in deep trouble with a powerful section within the party demanding that Brindaban Goswami step down as party president.

"If the party wants I am ready to quit as president and also as the leader of the opposition," Goswami has been quoted as saying in the local media.

The AGP president is accused of blocking moves for unification of the regional party with Mahanta forming a splinter faction called the AGP-Progressive last year.

"Goswami has failed to give the AGP a proper direction and there is no option other than reunification of the two AGP factions if regionalism has to survive in Assam," a senior AGP leader said.

Mahanta seems willing to take on the mantle.

"I did not want to resign. I was expelled from the party. I am still working for promoting regionalism," Mahanta told sources.

At least 15 senior AGP leaders have openly voiced their anger against the present president Goswami for scuttling moves for merger of the two regional factions.

"I cannot say anything now about accepting to head the AGP once again given a chance. Let the time come and then we will decide," Mahanta said.

The AGP was formed after Mahanta as president of the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) signed the historic Assam Accord in the presence of late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1985.

From the hostel room of Guwahati University, Mahanta reached the chief minister's office after the party routed the Congress in the 1985 assembly elections.

Mahanta was chief minister for two terms until his party was defeated in the 2001 polls.

The former chief minister was in 2001 replaced as party president by Goswami on an alleged bigamy charge and was last year unceremoniously expelled from the party he founded two decades ago for 'anti-party' activities. Mahanta denies both the charges.