Ratul Kalita quits Congress, accuses Gaurav Gogoi of ignoring grassroots workers

Nalbari, March 7: Senior leader of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), Ratul Kalita, on Saturday resigned from the Congress party, launching a sharp attack on state party president Gaurav Gogoi and the top leadership for allegedly sidelining grassroots workers and favouring political elites.

Addressing a press conference at his residence in Nalbari, Kalita alleged that ordinary party workers like him have little value in the Congress, while preference is given to those from influential political backgrounds.

“Because I come from an ordinary family, the senior leaders of the party do not give us importance. In Congress, importance is given only to ministers’ sons or political heirs,” Kalita said.

Kalita also accused APCC president Gaurav Gogoi of maintaining distance from grassroots workers and failing to recognise the contributions of long-time party members.

“If Gaurav Gogoi does not give us our identity or recognition, how will we continue to work for the party? A leader should behave like the president of the party, not like a king,” he said.

He further alleged that the party leadership had ignored several incidents involving him, including an alleged altercation with police officer Mrinal Dekai in front of Rajiv Bhavan.

“Not a single leader or party president contacted me even once after the incident where I was allegedly attacked by a police officer outside Rajiv Bhavan. Many journalists asked me about it, but no one from the party even bothered to check on me,” he claimed.

Kalita also expressed dissatisfaction over the party’s candidate selection process. He said he had sought a Congress ticket in the 2021 Assembly elections and had applied again this time but was repeatedly overlooked.

“In 2021 I sought a ticket from the Congress. This time I did not contest against senior leader Pradyut Kumar Bhuyan out of respect, but even after applying again I was not considered. The ticket was given to another candidate. Even after waiting for nearly 90 hours, not a single leader contacted me regarding the matter,” he said.

According to Kalita, it was only after news of his press conference emerged that senior party leader Meera Borthakur reached out to him and requested him not to leave the party.

“She told me that I am still young and have time. But if age and time are the criteria, then what about leaders like Tanzil Hussain or Pratik Bardoloi who have received opportunities?” he questioned.

Kalita also alleged that the Congress has increasingly been giving tickets to leaders who previously belonged to the BJP rather than loyal party workers.

“Only rejected leaders from the BJP are getting tickets in Congress today, while genuine Congress workers who have worked for years are being ignored,” he said.

Meanwhile, the development triggered political ripples in Nalbari as more than twenty Congress leaders and workers reportedly resigned from the party along with Kalita.

During the press conference, some supporters were seen becoming emotional as they announced their resignation in solidarity with the senior leader.

Kalita confirmed that he has resigned from all party responsibilities as well as from the primary membership of the Congress party.

He added that a decision regarding his future political course would be taken after discussions with supporters and associates later in the night.

“We will sit together tonight and discuss our next step. After that, we will decide which political party we will join,” Kalita said.