Guwahati, March 31: Congress MLA from South Karimganj constituency, Siddique Ahmed has been suspended from the primary membership of the party for “violating the three-line-whip of the party” in the Rajya Sabha election which was conducted on Thursday.
Addressing an urgent media conference here prior to announcement of the results on the poll day, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Kumar Borah said the action has been taken following a report from the party’s authorised election agent that Ahmed had written ‘one’ (alphabetically) instead of the numerical digit ‘1’ in the ballot paper, resulting in the vote being invalid.
“This amounts to indiscipline and violation of the three-line whip of the party. I therefore request you to take necessary action against him according to the legal procedure,” Prithiviraj Sathe, Congress’ authorised election agent, wrote in the report submitted to the Assam PCC chief.
“Despite conducting two mock polls, chief whip’s instruction and discussions with CLP leader, deputy CLP leader, the MLA had intentionally voted against the party candidate,” Borah said.
“We have now given the responsibility to the Congress Legislature Party leader to formally start legal proceedings to remove Ahmed from his post for such an anti-party activity in violation of the three-line whip issued by the party,” the Assam PCC chief said.
“Moreover, the party has also decided to write a letter to the chief election commissioner to “cancel” the vote cast by suspended Congress MLA from Raha, Sashi Kanta Das, who had voted for the ruling alliance’s candidate in the election,” Borah said.
Das, it may be recalled, was suspended from the party for “expressing his desire to support the state government in the interest of his constituency.”
Three candidates, Pabitra Margherita (BJP), Rwngwra Narzary (UPPL, which is an ally of ruling party BJP) and Congress leader Ripun Borah contested the poll for two seats from Assam.
The state PCC chief said that he was confident that two votes, one from Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi and another from CPI (M) MLA Manoranjan Talukdar, have been cast in favour of the Congress.
Sathe, while speaking to reporters, said that out of the 26 votes of the party MLAs, 25 have remained intact (in favour of the Congress candidate).