Guwahati, Aug 7 (IANS): BJP's ally in Assam, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), has started the preparations for Panchayat elections and for the by-elections to five seats which fell vacant after the Lok Sabha polls.

Both the panchayat poll and by-elections are scheduled in November.

AGP chief and minister in the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led cabinet, Atul Bora said, "Workers for our party are preparing for the next Panchayat elections and byelections. We've enrolled in several programmes. Our party's sister organisations will meet in each constituency from August 11 to August 13. Our decision was made to start a week-long booth program on August 25."

In addition, Bora announced that a three-day party workshop related to the poll preparedness will take place in Guwahati between August 19 and 21.

In the by-elections, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had already declared that the BJP will contest three of the five Assembly constituencies, while the AGP and another ally, the UPPL, would contest for one seat each.

Five Assembly seats fell vacant after five legislators were elected to the Parliament in general elections.

The AGP has opened its account in the Parliament this time with its senior leader Phani Bhusan Choudhury being elected from Barpeta Lok Sabha seat.

The party contested two parliamentary constituencies in the state, however, it lost polls in Dhubri to Congress candidate Rakibul Hussain.

Choudhury was a six-time MLA from Bongaigaon Assembly segment. When AGP fielded him from the Barpeta Lok Sabha seat to fight parliamentary elections, supporters of Choudhury opposed the party's decision and urged Choudhury to remain the MLA of Bongaigaon.

The BJP leadership is set to leave the Bongaigaon Assembly seat to the AGP in the upcoming byelection.