Infighting in Congress continues; protest mounts against MLA Kamalakhya in his constituency

April 7: The recently concluded Rajya Sabha election in Assam exposed the hollowness that has crept inside the state Congress party. Allegations and counter allegations within the Congress has become the order of the day. On charges of violation of party discipline during the Rajya Sabha election, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Bhupen Borah has suspended Karimganj MLA Siddique Ahmed from the primary membership of the party. This has led to protest within the various factions of the party.

On Thursday, fresh protest was noticed by the Congress party workers against MLA of North Karimganj, Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha. During the day, party workers took to the streets at Fakirabazar and Settlement areas of North Karimganj. They raised go-back slogans against their own MLA and termed him also as an ‘agent of BJP.’ They alleged, “Kamalakhya should be driven out of the Congress. He wins by our vote, but we don’t have any place in the party office. In front of him, Foyej Ahmed was physically assaulted. We will burn his effigy tonight.”

“Murdabad” slogans were also raised against Satu Roy. This was followed by burning of an effigy of MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha.

This is the 2nd time in a week that the effigy of MLA Kamalakhya was burnt in Barak Valley. Just two days ago, a section of Congress supporters burnt his effigy inside the office of Silchar District Congress Office in the presence of State General Secretary of the party. The next day, President of Silchar Town Congress Committee, Atanu Bhattacharjee was pushed out of the Congress office for speaking in favour of Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha. A poster on which “Go Back MLA Kamalakhya” was also pasted in the gate of Silchar Congress office.