Guwahati, Oct 14 (IANS): As Assam is gearing up for by-elections in five Assembly seats, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma conducted a meeting with senior BJP leaders, including Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, in Guwahati on Sunday to chalk out strategy for the upcoming polls.

Five Assembly seats were left vacant after five legislators were elected to the Parliament in this year's Lok Sabha polls.

According to an official statement, "Today, a significant meeting of the election committee of the @BJP4Assam was held at the State Guest House in Koinadhora. The meeting was attended by the CM@himantabiswa, State President@Bhabesh_KalitaR, Union Minister @sarbanandsonwal, Prabhari Harish Dwivedi, State Organisational General Secretary G. R. Ravindra Raju, along with the esteemed members of the Committee. In this meeting, discussions were held regarding the upcoming by-election in the state."

State BJP President Bhabhesh Kalita said, "Our party will contest in three of the five Assembly constituencies, while the AGP and another ally, the UPPL, will each contest for one seat."

He added that the BJP would field candidates in Samaguri, Dholai and Bihali Assembly seats.

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) is set to contest polls in the Bongaigaon Assembly seat.

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

The AGP contested in 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 seat.

When AGP fielded him in the Barpeta Lok Sabha seat to fight parliamentary elections, supporters of Choudhury opposed the party's decision and urged him to remain as MLA of Bongaigaon.

Meanwhile, the AGP Chief Atul Bora said, "Workers for our party are preparing for the next Panchayat elections and by-elections. We have started several programmes to strengthen the political base of the party in the state."