Congress faces internal rift over poll tickets ahead of Assam polls

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: All is not well with the Congress in poll-bound Assam. The party is experiencing infighting over tickets for the Assembly election. A section of aggrieved MLAs of the party did move AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi during her recent visit to the state. And now, a section of party workers moved the party high command against the MLAs.

A group of Congress workers from 53 Laharighat Legislative Assembly Constituency (LAC) has formally submitted a memorandum to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, chairperson of the Screening Committee for the Assam Assembly Election and leader of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), raising serious concerns over the selection of the party candidate from the constituency.

In the memorandum, they alleged that the sitting MLA, Dr. Ashif Md. Nazar, has been functioning in close proximity to the BJP ministers and leaders in Assam over the past five years.  The memorandum further alleged that during the recent Rajya Sabha and presidential elections, the MLA voted in favour of the BJP.

They further alleged that during the last Panchayat elections in Laharighat, Dr. Nazar reportedly campaigned against INC candidates, creating difficulties for party nominees in the Zilla Parishad contests. They also referred to an instance where he publicly praised the work culture and developmental initiatives of the BJP-led government at a time when the Chief Minister had made critical remarks about senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Sonia Gandhi. The letter mentioned that the APCC had reportedly issued a show-cause notice to him in this regard.

In their appeal, the Congress workers urged the AICC to examine the allegations with seriousness and take appropriate steps in the larger interest of the party before finalizing the candidate for Laharighat LAC.

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