Mahanta hands over charge

By Barun Das Gupta

GUWAHATI, AUG. 17. A big question mark hangs over the future of the former Assam Chief Minister and AGP supremo, Mr. Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, following the interview by an Assembly secretariat employee, Mrs. Sanghamitra Bharali.

She has narrated in an interview in an Assamese weekly her ``extra-marital relationship'' with Mr. Mahanta, culminating in his ``secret marriage'' with her in March in Mumbai.

Mr. Mahanta told The Hindu today that last Tuesday he had handed over the charge of the party presidentship ``temporarily'' to Mr. Biraj Sharma, senior vice- president, because he would be on a two-month holiday

However, senior Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) leaders told this correspondent on condition of anonymity that Mr. Mahanta had been ``forced to abdicate'' because of the scandal.

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