Rebels appeal to unite Congress by sidelining Sushmita Dev; "It is not in the interest of party," counters former MP

Once the most dominant party in Cachar, Congress has lost its foothold. The only MLA from Congress in Cachar has resigned and joined BJP. The party needs a major effort at the grassroots level to even think of a comeback. But on one side when the BJP is seamlessly conducting one meeting after another to brace itself for the upcoming Assembly elections, the Congress is unable to get its house in order.

Yesterday, a few Congress leaders along with around 50 workers from various legislative assembly constituencies gathered at a hotel for a meeting. Misbahul Islam Laskar, Kishore Bhattacharjee, Arun Dutta Mazumdar, Kamalendu Bhattacharjee were in the meeting. They demanded a change in leadership taking a not-so-subtle jibe at Sushmita Dev.

Addressing them as the “Ashli Congressi” they alleged that the Dev family has deprived potential leaders of opportunities keeping everything close to their chest. “We were in Congress, we are in Congress and we will bring back Congress to the winning ways together,” the rebels said in unison.

They added that for the benefit of the party, they will conduct a massive meeting with the grassroots level workers to “rejuvenate the party”.

Kamalendu Bhattacharjee, Arun Dutta Mazumdar and Co. went on to say that there are several Congress leaders who worked tirelessly for the welfare of the party and have made huge contributions have been sidelined and ignored. They said that by involving them, Congress can win “four to five” seats in Cachar.

The date of polling is yet to be announced, but the permutation combinations around who could get the ticket has already begun. There is infighting or disagreement in every party including the one in power – BJP. But then no political parties get exposed as Congress does. Recently, when the central leadership including Jitendra Singh had visited Cachar, there were stray slogans of “Sushmita Dev Murdabad” which hijacked the entire press coverage.

Now the rebels are stealing the limelight, albeit temporarily. Sharing her view on the meeting, president of Mahila Congress and former Silchar MP, Sushmita Dev said, “All the people in the meeting have heavily benefited from the party. Got plum postings and enjoyed when the party was in power. They should work without expectations and selflessly now.”

While speaking with Barak Bulletin, Dev who has been an active participant in the protest against the farm bill introduced by Modi Government, was not mincing her words. “People who worked openly against the party in the last general elections to the Lok Sabha were in the meeting (at the hotel yesterday). I don’t think that is in the interest of the party,” she asserted.