Guwahati, 12 September (HS): Senior Congress leader and former Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia has alleged that party affairs are currently being dominated by Gaurav Gogoi and Rakibul Hussain, claiming that other senior and junior leaders are not being consulted on important organisational decisions.

Speaking to reporters, Saikia said that Gaurav Gogoi had not discussed with him the selection of the Congress candidate for the upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election. “Gaurav Gogoi did not speak to me regarding giving a candidate for the by-election,” he said, making it clear that he had not been consulted on the issue.

Saikia also remarked that minorities had never supported the Congress and were never the party’s vote bank. His statement has drawn attention in the backdrop of the recent Assembly election, where Congress won 19 seats and 18 of its MLAs from minority-dominated constituencies were elected from such areas.

Meanwhile, ahead of the Nagaon by-election, sections of minority voters in the Nagaon-Batadrava constituency have reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the Congress. Several voters claimed that they had supported the party for around 60 years but felt that Congress had failed to deliver for the minority community. They alleged that the community had been repeatedly disappointed and said they would not repeat their past political choices this time.------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash