Assam: Internal bickering within Cong surfaces ahead of by-elections to 5 assembly seats
Internal bickering within the Congress party in Assam has once again hampered its efforts ahead of the upcoming by-elections to five assembly constituencies in the state.
This factionalism has created challenges for the party as it struggles to present a unified front and effectively campaign in these crucial elections.
The by-elections to the five assembly seats—Behali, Dholai, Samaguri, Sidli, and Bongaigaon—were necessitated because the sitting MLAs from these constituencies were elected to the Lok Sabha in the last parliamentary elections.
Instead of focusing on preparations for the by-elections, internal groups within the party have taken centre stage. A faction of party leaders, including a sitting MP, has rejected the leadership of Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah. This group is advocating for Gaurav Gogoi to assume the position of party president.
Recently, a group of 18 MLAs from the Congress party submitted a memorandum to the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) advocating for a change of leadership within the state Congress.
A senior leader of the Congress party has expressed concerns about the current state of internal discord, stating, “These are not healthy signs for a party. We should work in unison. If we are divided, how could we maintain alliances with 18 other political parties?”
“In the 2016 assembly elections, the killing of rhinos in Kaziranga National Park was a major issue that contributed to the Congress party’s humiliating defeat. In the 2021 elections, the grand alliance with the All-India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) was seen as a significant factor in the party’s poor performance. Now, as the party faces internal strife and leadership disputes, some factions are advocating for a renewed alliance with the AIUDF. This move is causing concern among party members, who fear that such an alliance could lead to further damage to the party’s electoral prospects, reminiscent of past issues,” the leader said.
“The leader under whose tenure the mass killing of rhinos occurred and who was responsible for overseeing the grand alliance with AIUDF, which contributed to the party’s defeat, is now reportedly acting as a counsellor for some factions advocating for the ouster of the current party president,” the leader also said.
This situation further complicates the internal dynamics of the Congress party, as it grapples with the legacy of past failures and ongoing leadership disputes. The involvement of this leader in the current leadership struggle highlights the complex interplay of past controversies and present challenges within the party.
However, playing down reports of his removal as the Assam Congress president, Bhupen Kumar Borah has said that he is not aware of any such discussions.
Borah asserted that he would continue to remain in Congress even if removed from the position.
“Even if removed, I will be in Congress. Positions have changed a lot of times. I was the Youth Congress president. So, position may change, but the party will be the same. I have only heard about it [removal] on TV, and I don’t know anything about it,” Borah said.
“If the central leadership decided to remove me, I will gladly step aside,” he said.
“I will not take a second if the central leadership decides to remove me. However, on August 13 when I met with Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, and Jitendra Singh; we discussed many things, but nothing on this. If the leadership decides so, then I will accept it. I have worked under nine presidents previously and will continue to work with the new president,” he added.
Party sources have suggested that there may be external forces working within the Congress party to create further disunity and weaken the party ahead of the upcoming by-elections. These forces are believed to be exploiting existing internal conflicts and leadership disputes to destabilize the party and undermine its electoral prospects.
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