"Sushmita Dev Murdabad" slogans raised by angry party workers; Moinul Haque Choudhury missing from posters welcoming Jitendra Singh

All India National Congress has again embarrassed itself at its own event. Today, general secretary of AICC and in charge of Assam, Jitendra Singh who is also the former Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports and the Minister of State for Defence reached Silchar for his election campaign. He was given a warm welcome in Silchar Airport by his supporters. But by the time his convoy reached Madhuraghat, things took a turn.

Congress supporters led by former NSUI president – Cachar Javed Laskar gathered at Madhuraghat. They raised Jitendra Singh Zindabad slogan and welcomed him with garlands. But in the presence of AICC General Secretary and other Congress leaders, Javed Ali and Congress supporters started sloganeering against former Silchar MP Sushmita Dev and former minister Ajit Singh.

Jitendra Singh tried to calm them by saying that the murdabad slogans are not healthy for the party but they did not stop. “Sushmita Dev Murdabad, Ajit Singh Murdabad slogans,” continued. Sushmita Dev’s supporters were also there and their counter-sloganeering resulted in a brawl between Congress supporters.

While speaking with the press, Javed Laskar said, “Moinul Haque Choudhury has given so much to Congress and yet his image was missing from all the posters welcoming Jitendra Singh. That is why to protest we raised Sushmita Dev Murdabad slogans. But Papon Deb of Congress started beating me and threatening me.”

Other residents of the Borkhola constituency also said they were hurt by the way Congress decided to insult Moinul Haque Choudhury and especially the manhandling of the ex NSUI president.

The election is due next year and Congress intends to make a comeback. But with such lack of coordination amongst its own supporters, the progress of the party is in doubts.

A professor of Political Science said, “In the recent elections in Bihar, we have seen that Congress has had a negative impact in an alliance. It lost its vote share among the upper caste voters in critical parts of Bihar. In Assam too, Congress has failed to retain its votes in Tea-belt and Hindu community. Today’s incident shows the Muslims aren’t fond of the party either, so, it is clear that the party has too many loopholes within itself. It takes one step ahead and the next day finds itself three steps back.”

Why Congress decided to ignore Moinul Haque Choudhury is a mystery. The professor shares what he thinks could be a possible reason, “In Sonai, a stage was named after Moinul Haque Choudhury and it sparked a controversy as it happened to be a spot where Durga Puja is done. Moinul Haque Choudhury has done a lot for the development of this region and his critiques will also accept it. But, he was also a part of the Muslim League which was behind the partition. With nationalism on the rise, may be Congress thought it is safer to have posters without him. But then when you leave a poster boy out, it gets noticed and that is what has happened,” said the professor.

After Badaruddin Ajmal’s visit got hijacked by the alleged “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans being raised in Silchar Airport, now Jitendra Singh’s visit has an alternate narrative. These own goals are helping the already leading BJP opines the professor.