On Centery convention eve, AXX rocked by fresh turmoil

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Feb 7:  On the eve of Axom Xahitya Xabha’s centery convention at Jerenga Pathar in Sivasagar to get under way from Wednesday, the troubled apex literary body in the State was thrown into fresh turmoil — with former Xabha president Dr Lakshmi ndan Bora stating it will ‘not be possible’ for him to preside over the first session of the convention if controversial former secretary general Paramanda Rajbongshi is invited there.

At a press meet in the city on Tuesday, Dr Bora made it clear he will stand by his decision unless the convention’s reception committee gives it in writing that Rajbongshi will not get an invite to the 5-day convention beginning February 8.

The former AXX president took strong exception to the Xabha’s in-charge secretary Abani Mohan Sahariya’s recent statement at a press meet that ‘all should forget the past after having agreed to make compromises’ and the reception committee should invite all past office-bearers, including Rajbongshi, to the session ‘with due respect’ or else the ‘consequences will be serious’. Incidentally, Dr Bora was seated beside Sahariya when he had made this comment to scribes.

“It was an ucceptable thing to say. The stalemate that has been plaguing the Xabha is back. In truth, the web of conspiracy weaved by Dr Paramanda Rajbongshi is still creating confusion. If we fail to prevent the entry of such people, the Xabha’s future is bleak,” Dr Bora said, adding: “Under such circumstances, it will not be possible for me to preside over the first session of the convention”.

Meanwhile, in another press meet, former AXX secretary general Jagadish Patgiri along with Xabha ex-functiories like Dr Nishipad Deb Chaudhury and Kamal Kalita, said that Abani Mohan Sahariya’s move to invite Paramanda Rajbongshi to the centery convention proves that Rajbongshi’s offer to divest himself of his official responsibility was just a ‘drama’.