Former Assam Congress chief Ripun Bora on Sunday resigned from the party and joined Trinamool Congress, alleging that several leaders of it were working in connivance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state, particularly with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Bora, who joined the TMC in the presence of party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata soon after he quit the Congress, said in his resignation letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi that infighting within the grand old party helped BJP and compelled him to leave despite having been a member since student days in 1976.
"I am very pained to inform you that it is an open secret in Assam that instead of fighting against BJP, a section of senior most leaders of Assam PCC (Pradesh Congress Committee) have been maintaining secret understanding with BJP govt mainly with the chief minister," Bora said in his resignation letter.
The former state minister also alleged that some of the Congress party leaders "played role in such a manner which paved the way for the BJP to win both the Rajya Sabha seats" from Assam recently.
Bora was renominated by the Congress for the elections to the Upper House of Parliament.
He, as a joint candidate of the opposition parties in Assam, had unsuccessfully contested the recently held Rajya Sabha elections.
Bora claimed that he, after assuming charge as APCC chief in 2016, was able to bring the Congress to a position where people expected it to form the state government in 2021 state polls.
"But due to continuous inner fight by a section of senior most leaders of Assam PCC, people lost faith on us and did not give mandate," he said.
Bora also stated that instead of being united in fighting the BJP which is a "serious threat to the democracy, constitution and secularism and economy of our country", Congress leaders at different levels are "fighting each other for their vested interests".
"This has given the BJP ample advantages to grow in every nook and corner in one hand and another, demoralising millions of Congress workers of the country," Bora wrote, adding that the leaders in Assam have been "not an exception".
"Under this backdrop, my conscience does not allow to continue in Congress party where the party's interest and ideology are being compromised in favour of BJP for some vested interest of few leaders,” he also added.
"Delighted to welcome Shri@ripunbora, former minister of panchayat & rural development, minister of education in Assam, former Rajya Sabha MP & former president of Assam Pradesh Congress committee! He joined us today in the presence of Shri @abhishekaitc," the Trinamool Congress said on Twitter.
Banerjee also welcomed him to the West Bengal's ruling party.
"Extending a very warm welcome to Shri @ripunbora, a stalwart and skilled politician, who joined the @AITCofficial family today. We are extremely pleased to have you onboard and look forward to working together for the well-being of our people!," he tweeted.
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