Now, dissent in Congress over tickets

Grassroot workers up against 'new entrants', 'outsiders' seeking tickets

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, March 13: After the BJP and the AGP, it is now the turn of the Congress in facing dissent from grassroot workers over ticket distribution.

Even though the party is yet to declare its candidates, Congress workers in many constituencies like Bijni, Bongaigaon, Katigora, Baghbor etc have struck a discordant note over "outsiders" and "new entrants" being shortlisted as probable candidates from the seats.

The NSUI today staged a demonstration during a programme organized by the Bijni block unit to felicitate former Koch Rajbongshi student leader Biswajit Rai, who is a ticket aspirant from the seat. Rai and Shankar Bhowmik have been shortlisted by the State election committee from Bijni.

The local NSUI members are, however, up against Biswajit Rai who, they said, "has been speaking ill of the Congress for years."

Congress workers from Chirang have threatened not to cooperate if Biswajit Rai is given the party ticket.

Similarly, "new entrant" former AASU leader Shankar Prasad Rai (Bongaigaon), former AIUDF MLAs Sherman Ali Ahmed (Baghbor) and Ataur Rehman Majhar Bhuyan (Katigora) who crossed over to the ruling party recently are also facing protests from grassroot Congress workers.

Meanwhile, the AICC's scanning committee headed by former Union minister Kamal th today scrutinized the list forwarded by the State election committee. The scanning committee also includes Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and State Congress president Anjan Dutta, besides AICC leaders CP Joshi and Zuber Khan.

While in 59 seats, there were only one applicant - the sitting MLA, in others, the scanning committee has shortlisted two mes from among three to four applicants.

Sitting legislators Habul Chakraborty, Shiv Saran Basumatary, Mansing Rongpi, Rumi th, Robin Bordoloi and Abdul Muhib Mazumdar have one or more contenders in their respective seats. In Sivasagar, there are three aspirants, including APCC president Anjan Dutta, Speaker Prab Kumar Gogoi and his son Promir. In the last elections, Anjan Dutta was elected from Amguri, from where his daughter is seeking ticket this time.

The central election committee of the AICC headed by Sonia Gandhi is likely to approve the fil list by March 15 or 16.

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