Assam: Setback for Congress, former MP Dwijen Sharma quits grand old party

Dwijen Sharma after quitting Cong took a dig at Assam Congress President Bhupen Bora and Party national general secretary for Assam Jitendra Singh and accused them of running business within

In yet another setback for the Assam Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in less than a month, a senior leader of the party and former MP Dwijen Sharma has quit the party.

Just a week ago, Sharma had stepped down as the Assam Congress vice-president.

But the most interesting aspect is the fact that Sharma too has pointed fingers at the party’s leadership, just the way Barpeta Lok Sabha MP Abdul Khaleque did and quit the grand old party on March 15.

In fact, Dwijen Sharma too has levelled sensational allegations against Assam Congress President Bhupen Bora and AICC general secretary in charge for Assam Jitendra Singh, and accused the leaders of running business within the party.

In no uncertain terms, Dwijen Sharma said that if a ticket aspirant goes to Bhupen Bora seeking for a ticket, he or she is asked about much money they own. Sharma accused Jitendra Singh to be the mastermind behind such activities.

Sharma also clearly stated that tickets were given in the party on the basis of ‘signature campaigns’ launched by a few intellectuals who he feels are meddling with the internal affairs of the Congress.
Sharma in support of his statements said, “With a heavy heart I have to leave this party. In Assam the Congress party is being outsourced. A few people are now interfering with the internal affairs of the Congress and have been doing so. One of them is Ajit Bhuyan and the other one is Hiren Gohain. They have collected at least 60-70 signatures and sent it to the high command backing for the candidature of a particular candidate. Now if ticket is given on the basis of signatures given by intellectuals than what is the use of being a member of a political party. If anyone goes to Bhupen Bora seeking for a ticket, then the first question he asks is that how much that particular person has? Nothing is asked about the chances of success, but how much wealth does one acquire is very much enquired about. AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh is the mastermind behind all these. He has become the Congress general secretary to run business within the party. During the last Assam Assembly elections too, he has done a lot of corruption. Since I informed Rahul Gandhi about these matters, now he intends to take revenge.”

It was only March 15, that Assam Congress had suffered a big blow ahead of the Lok Sabha election as party MP from the Barpeta Lok Sabha constituency Abdul Khaleque resigned from the party.

Khaleque’s move to quit the grand old party came after he was denied a ticket this time to fight the parliamentary election.

But Khaleque’s resignation has exposed the differences among leaders of different ranks within the party. Khaleque in his letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has clearly mentioned this, and cited this as a primary reason for his decision to leave the Congress.

Khaleque in his letter had openly blamed Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah and AICC General Secretary in-charge has “ruined the prospect of the party in Assam.

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