Published 20:30 IST, March 6th 2021
Assam: Sushmita Dev miffed with Congress-AIUDF seat pact; Party refutes her resignation
In a jolt to Assam Congress on Saturday, its spokesperson and ex-Silchar MP Sushmita Dev is unhappy with the seat-sharing formula with AIUDF, as per sources
In a jolt to Assam Congress on Saturday, its spokesperson and ex-Silchar MP Sushmita Dev is unhappy with the seat-sharing formula with AIUDF, as per sources. While speculation had arisen that Dev had allegedly sent her resignation to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, Congress has denied it. Assam elections will be held in 3 phases - March 27, April 1 and April 6, while results will be announced on May 2.
Congress denies Sushmita Dev's exit
Refuting Sushmita Dev's exit, Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi said, "She is very much with us. She is a very indispensable part of Congress. She is a very respected leader of our party." Moreover, the party's media department too added that Dev had not resigned from the party.
Congress' poll promises
Addressing a public meeting, Dev had assured 50% reservation for women in government jobs if the 'Mahajot' alliance wis voted to power. Apart from this poll promise, the alliance has vowed to not implement CAA, increase daily wages of tea-workers to Rs 365, make Assam flood-free, provide five lakh government jobs to youth in 5 years, provide Rs 2,000 every month to homemakers as 'Grihini Samman', provide free electricity up to 200 units. The Congress has formed a broad-based alliance with AIUDF, BPF, CPI, CPI(M), Bodoland Democratic Front (BDF) and Anchalik Gana Morcha (AGM) to fight the upcoming assembly election against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for 126-member Assam house. CPI(ML) will contest alone, but support the 'Mahajot' alliance and RJD's Tejashwi has assured to campaign for the alliance.
The grand alliance formed to 'save Assam' was kicked off by late CM Tarun Gogoi, who had reached out to Ajmal to seal a Congress-AIUDF alliance for the 2021 elections, as per reports - his last political act. Assam witnessed massive protests against the CAA-NRC-NPR, as Assamese people fear a massive inrush of migrants that will threaten their indigenous culture - violating the Assam accords. The BJP is yet to convince the state subjects of the merits of CAA, after the disastrous NRC drive which resulted in the exclusion of 19 lakh citizens. While Congress-Left-AIUDF is yet to finalise its Assam list, BJP has announced 70 candidates - including Himanta Biswa Sarma and CM Sarbananda Sonowal.
Updated 20:30 IST, March 6th 2021