Infighting rages within Congress

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Sept 6: A senior party leaders meeting, chaired by Congress general secretary CP Joshi, as part an apparent damage-control exercise after the exit of Himanta Biswa Sarma and imminent exodus of some other senior leaders — has failed to douse the fires. Infighting and resentment within the ruling party refuses to die down.

Immediately after the meeting, Congress legislator Jamaluddin charged former minister Siddique Ahmed of being an AIUDF spy. “He (Siddique Ahmed) is a AIUDF spy in the Congress. If he gets ministerial berth, the party will have to suffer losses in Barak Valley,” Jamaluddin said, a day after reports emerged that Ahmed might be re-inducted into the council of ministers when the Chief Minister expands his ministry and fills the four vacant berths.

Ahmed later refuted the charge saying, “If any person criticizes the Congress, he is not a Congressman.”

Sources said that former Bihar and Tripura Governor Devanda Konwar, who participated in the meeting chaired by CP Joshi, also expressed unhappiness at the state of affairs in the state Congress unit.

Senior legislator Dr Bhumidhar Barman admitted that the exodus from the party will have an impact, but ascribed the disarray within the party to “misunderstanding”.

However, APCC president Anjan Dutta sought to put up a brave face, claiming that the party is prepared to face an election “even if it is held tomorrow”.