Guwahati: In a significant political development in Assam, the Congress party is grappling with internal dissension as Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) working president and MLA Kamalakshya Dey Purkayatha, along with senior MLA Basanta Das, openly pledged their support to the BJP-led government. This comes on the heels of earlier defections by MLAs Sashi Das and Siddique Ahmed, who were subsequently suspended by the party’s high command.
On January 14th, Kamalakshya Dey Purkayatha, also the MLA for Karimganj North, not only declared his support for Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma but also resigned from his post as the working president of APCC. Purkayastha highlighted the lack of communication within the Congress party, pointing out that during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi failed to meet any of the 24 MLAs from the state.
Purkayastha criticised Rahul Gandhi for prioritising meetings with leaders of the INDIA alliance over engaging with his own party’s legislators. “There are 24 MLAs. He met with 15 parties of the INDIA alliance, who don’t have any identity,” Purkayastha asserted, emphasising the absence of a meeting with Congress MLAs during the eight-day Yatra.
Expressing discontent with the internal dynamics of the Congress party, Purkayastha claimed that several members are in contact with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He suggested that this communication gap is evident as the Chief Minister possesses detailed knowledge of the discussions held during Rahul Gandhi’s Nyaya Yatra meeting.
Furthermore, Purkayastha pointed out a lack of empathy among party members and rampant internal lobbying, revealing the internal challenges faced by the Congress in Assam. Despite his open support for the BJP-led government, Purkayastha affirmed his continued membership in the Congress, leaving his political future open-ended.
In a surprising move, Congress MLAs Kamalakshya Dey Purkayastha and Basanta Das not only extended support to the BJP during the ongoing assembly session but also felicitated Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Basanta Das commended the BJP government for its commendable work, especially in the development of his constituency.
Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Sarma narrated an incident, “Listen to a story- When Rahul Gandhi came to Assam, he called all the Congress MLAs in his luxurious bus and threatened that Assam assembly should not be allowed to run. We also gave them a gift. Now Congress MLAs are supporting the government and letting the House run peacefully.”
The Congress party in Assam is facing a formidable challenge as multiple leaders defect to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. On January 28th, Angkita Dutta, the expelled president of Assam Youth Congress, and former MLA Bismita Gogoi joined the BJP, leveling various allegations against the party leadership.
As the political landscape in Assam undergoes seismic shifts, the Congress party must grapple with internal dissension and defections, posing a substantial challenge in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. The dynamics of support and dissent within the party may shape the political narrative in Assam in the coming months, with implications for both the Congress and the BJP.
