The Two Faces Of Abhijit Paul: Has The Cachar District Congress President Lost His Senses?

On Thursday, the Cachar District Congress Committee organised a felicitation ceremony at Rajiv Bhawan, Silchar, to celebrate their performance in the recent Panchayat elections. Senior Congress leaders, including Borkhola MLA Misbahul Islam Laskar, former BJP MLA from Sonai, Aminul Haque Laskar, District President Abhijit Paul, and Katigorah MLA Khalil Uddin Mazumder, were present at the event.

The event, hosted by Abhijit Paul, was open to the media, who had been officially invited to cover the celebration. Everything appeared to be proceeding smoothly until Katigorah MLA Khalil Uddin Mazumder took to the dais.

In a surprising turn of events, Khalil was publicly confronted by members of his own party from his own constituency. They accused him of corruption and alleged that he had distributed party tickets in exchange for bribes, reportedly taking Rs. 10 lakh from a favoured candidate. Khalil, visibly agitated, denied all allegations and challenged them to prove the charges. “If they can prove I took money, I will resign as MLA,” he said, adding with disdain, “Rs. 10 lakh is nothing for Khalil.”

The confrontation quickly escalated. According to Barak Bulletin’s correspondent, who was present at the scene, the altercation turned aggressive and bordered on violence. Videos of the chaos, which unfolded in full view of the media and the public, have since gone viral on social media. Khalil Uddin walked out of the event, and other Congress leaders were seen pacifying the angry Katigorah workers.

Later, Congress leader Shorful Alom Choudhury, who was part of the altercation, accused Khalil Uddin of being an absent and indifferent MLA. “Even during the Panchayat elections, our candidates got no support from him. We felt orphaned without a guardian,” he said.

However, what followed next has left many questioning the integrity of District Congress President Abhijit Paul. When asked about the incident on the very day it occurred, Paul told reporters, “There was no unrest. Everyone is happy because we defeated the dictatorial government. Emotions were high; a few lost by thin margins.”

On being asked specifically about the protest against Khalil Uddin’s speech, he said, “There was no objection to any speaker. The event ran for four hours, and I was the last to speak. Everything went smoothly.”

But when the violent scenes from the event hit the headlines and attracted public backlash, Abhijit Paul quickly changed his tune. Instead of addressing the concerns, he began blaming the very media he had invited to cover the programme.

Has District Congress President Abhijit Paul Lost His Senses?

When visuals of Congress workers clashing in broad daylight started making rounds on social media, widespread criticism followed, highlighting the deteriorating discipline and unity within the party. And yet, Abhijit Paul seemed more concerned with saving face than taking responsibility.

Why did he first claim that nothing went wrong at the event, and later accuse the media of distorting the facts? Why this double-speak? Is he simply trying to distance himself from the chaos, or was he the one who orchestrated it all?

Insiders have hinted at a larger game at play. With Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Bhupen Kumar Borah’s tenure nearing its end, Abhijit Paul’s time as district president may also be running out. Some now allege that this entire fiasco was Paul’s attempt to create drama and assert relevance before losing his post.

In a bizarre media statement issued on Friday, Paul attempted to shift the blame once again, this time accusing the ruling BJP of engineering the chaos. According to him, the BJP was “scared” of the growing public support for Congress in the panchayat polls and hence “conspired” to create disruption.

Whether or not the BJP had a hand in the incident is a separate debate, but the fact remains: a major public embarrassment unfolded right under Abhijit Paul’s watch, and rather than taking accountability, he has repeatedly tried to cover up the incident with changing narratives and finger-pointing.

The question remains—how many more faces will Abhijit Paul show before he finally tells the truth?