Guwahati, Nov 1: CPI (M-L) leader Bibek Das on Friday sharply attacked the Congress, asserting that they will not allow the big brother attitude of the grand old party in the Assam alliance.
The CPI (M-L) leader’s statement assumes significance as the opposition unity faced a jolt after Congress fielded a candidate in the state’s Behali Assembly seat for the forthcoming bypoll. The united opposition forum also put up a CPI (M-L) candidate for the upcoming by-elections which has brought more tension to the anti-BJP fold.
Bibek Das told reporters here, “Majority of the opposition desire to fight unitedly against the BJP; however, we must get respect from the Congress in the alliance. We will not allow the big brother attitude of Congress.”
He also criticised Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, saying, “The Congress MP has undermined the proposals given by opposition leaders — Akhil Gogoi, Lurinjyoti Gogoi, Ajit Bhuyan, Suprakash Talukdar by fielding Jayanta Borah in Behali. I believe that this is not a good thing for the opposition unity.”
Congress named Jayanta Borah as the party’s nominee to contest elections in the Behali Assembly seat. He switched sides from the BJP and joined the Congress party a few days ago.
The Behali seat became a bone of contention in the united opposition forum of 15 parties in Assam and Congress leader Bhupen Borah had to resign as forum’s president following differences over seat sharing. By-elections to five Assembly constituencies — Dholai, Samaguri, Behali, Bongaigaon, and Sidli we
re necessitated following the elections of the incumbent legislators to Lok Sabha this year. Congress will contest bypolls in all five Assembly segments. However, CPI-ML — a constituent of the united opposition forum — strongly demanded to leave the Behali seat for them. Bhupen Borah earlier said that a proposal to form a five-member committee to choose the Behali nominee was discussed at a meeting on October 18 in Guwahati that was attended by prominent Congress figures, including the General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and the Secretary in charge of Assam, Jitendra Singh Alwar. Borah backed this coalition manoeuvre because the CPI (M-L) had claimed the seat. The Congress leader mentioned that the AICC had rejected the committee’s recommendation. –IANS tdr/uk