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Rebels
break free as Assam Congress ties itself in knots
Express News
Service
Guwahati,
April 24: WITH the last day for filing nominations coming to
an end on Monday, the Congress in Assam is confused after largescale
dissension and infighting. This has led to the emergence of several
rebel candidates.
They include
former ministers Mukut Sharma and Rashidul Haque, and former IOA
vice-president Phani Sharma. All have filed nominations as Independent
candidates after being denied party
tickets.
The disgruntled
aspirants have come up with corruption charges against PCC chief
Tarun Gogoi, who is said to have taken bribes from those finally
allotted tickets.
Senior rebel
leaders such as Matang Singh too have joined the anti-Congress campaign
by fielding 27 Independents, other than the rebels. Singh is opposed
to the official candidates because of his enmity with both Gogoi
and Mani Kumar Subba. Subba reportedly dictated the final list of
official candidates to Gogoi.
Phani Sharma,
a renowned sports organiser and India’s Deputy Chief De Mission
to the Seoul Olympics, filed his papers as an Independent on Monday
from the prestigious Guwahati (East) constituency.
He had contested
as an Independent in 1991 too, when the party had rejected his claim
to the same constituency. The seat goes to party general-secretary
and spokesman Pankaj Bora this time.
Mukut Sharma,
a close associate and contemporary of former Assam chief minister
late Hiteswar Saikia, has filed papers as an Independent from Nagaon.
Sharma had defeated Chief Minister Prafulla Mahanta at Nagaon in
1991 by 2,668 votes to become the Tourism minister in the Saikia’s
Congress government. He was Education minister from 1983 to 85,
in Saikia’s Cabinet.
Most rebel
Congress candidates have appeared from Nagaon district, after the
party changed candidates in several constituencies there. Three-time
MLA and former minister Rashidul Haque, for instance, has been denied
renomination, compelling him to become an Independent candidate.
Octogenarian
Congressman Umakanta Phukan too has filed papers as an Independent
from Barhampur. Phukan will be up against the Congress’ Chitralata
Phukan, who is his daughter-in-law.
Barhampur boasts
of AGP president and Chief Minister Mahanta as its most important
candidate.
At Hajo, the Congress has nominated former Press Council member
and lawyer Dr Haren Das. The move prompted Mohammed Barkat Ullah
to file his papers as a rebel candidate. Hajo has been under AGP
control from 1985.
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