- Suren Daimari resigned from Congress, citing a lack of support, a day before the Assam poll
- He accused the party leadership of betrayal and ignoring his calls for help
- Congress leader Deep Bayan alleged that BJP is trying to influence candidates in Assam
Suren Daimari, the Congress candidate for Udalguri, has resigned from the party just a day before the Assam Assembly elections, citing a lack of support and "betrayal" by the leadership. His sudden exit comes as the state prepares for single-phase polling across all 126 constituencies on 9 April.
Speaking to reporters, Daimari expressed his frustration with the party's management. "Congress is a betrayer party. They defrauded me. Even after giving me the ticket, they did not respond. I called them multiple times, but they didn't answer," he said.
"I got no response from the party or its leaders, so I have left. I have not received any support, that's why I stepped away," Daimari added. He further alleged that the party had committed "Gaddari" (betrayal) and had "backstabbed" him. "After giving the party ticket, they did not respond properly to me. When I call top leaders, they do not respond," he claimed.
Daimari also accused the Congress of indulging in "appeasement politics."
Congress alleges BJP interference
The developments in Udalguri have triggered a sharp response from the Congress leadership. Deep Bayan, a senior party leader, alleged that the BJP is attempting to influence candidates.
Speaking to NDTV, Bayan claimed that the BJP-led government, which has been in power for the past 10 years, has lost public support. He asserted that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is aware of the changing political mood in the state.
"The BJP government that has been in power for 10 years has been rejected by the people of Assam in this election. The Chief Minister also knows this. Because of this, there are attempts to influence candidates who do not belong to the Congress ideology," Bayan said.
He further alleged that efforts are being made to "buy" political leaders with money, though he maintained that such attempts would not affect the party's performance. According to Bayan, the Congress still enjoys strong public backing across the state.
Bayan expressed confidence that prominent leaders, including Gaurav Gogoi, Akhil Gogoi and Lurinjyoti Gogoi, are receiving a positive response from the electorate. He criticised those who left the party for personal gain, stating that ideology must remain the guiding principle in politics.
He added that the party would be more cautious in selecting candidates in the future to ensure commitment to its principles. "The public will answer through their vote. We are confident that the people of Assam will support Congress in large numbers, and we will form the government," he said.
Assam will go to the polls on 9 April, with the counting of votes scheduled for 4 May.
