Himanta is power hungry: Dutta

'Himanta Biswa Sarma came out winner in the 2011 Assembly elections from Jalukbari LAC by virtue of the pictures of Soniaji, Rahul Gandhi and the party flag. He has no individual power to win an election. If there's by-poll in Jalukbari LAC, we are ready to face it. We have stronger candidates there' — Assam Pradesh Congress Committee

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, August 26: “Change, like sunshine, can be a friend or foe, a blessing or a curse, a dawn or a dusk,” so said William Arthur Ward. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Anjan Dutta today said that Jalukbari MLA Himanta Biswa Sarma, his former friend, has been placed under suspension in accordance with the rules of the State PCC.

Talking to newsmen after meeting some Congress MLAs -- Habul Chakravarty, SR Subba, Shiva Charan Basumatary and Kamalakshya Dey Purkayastha -- who are known loyalists of Himanta  Biswa Sarma, Dutta said: “Sarma is a member of the APCC before being a member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). He should have submitted his resigtion to the APCC. The round reality, however, is that neither the APCC nor the AICC has received his resigtion letter as yet. If he has submitted his resigtion letter, he should show it.”

Dutta said: “Sarma is a power-hungry politician. In the last Lok Sabha elections, the Congress got 10,000 votes less in his constituency. If he fights the 2016 Assembly election from Jalukbari, he will be defeated at least by 20,000 votes. Apprehensive of defeat, he has joined the BJP. He came out winner in the 2011 Assembly elections from Jalukbari LAC by virtue of the pictures of Soniaji, Rahul Gandhi and the party flag. He has no individual power to win an election. If there’s by-poll in Jalukbari LAC, we are ready to face it. We have stronger candidates there.”

Meanwhile, Dutta made an announcement that in the 40 LACs in the State that are currently held by the Opposition parties, the Congress will give preference of party tickets to new faces in the 2016 Assembly elections.