Dissension in Congress worsens

GUWAHATI, April 23: Dissension in State Congress over selection of party nominees today took a turn for the worse when several stalwarts of the party filed nominations to contest polls as Independent candidates. However, sources in the APCC tried to play it down by saying that the party leadership would be able to persuade the rebel candidates to withdraw their nominations in the greater interest of the party. Noted among those Congressmen who have filed nomination as Independent candidates were Rashidul Haque (Rupahi), Mukut Sharma (Nagaon), Uma Phukon (Barhampur), Samsul Haque (Sarbhog), Nripen Das (Mangaldoi), Tara Pada Das (Sarukhetri), Mustafa Sahidul Islam (Dhing). Meanwhile, more than one Congress candidates filed nominations at Chaygaon and Hajo and Boko constituencies. Congressmen Rana Goswami and Imran Hussain filed nominations to contest from Chaygaon while Barkatullah and Haren Das filed nominations to contest from Hajo. In Boko both Uttam Das and Gopi Das filed as party candidates. However, sources in the APCC informed that the Congress high command had approved names of Rana Goswami, Barkatullah and Gopi Das as party nominees from Chaygaon, Hajo and Boko constituencies respectively. Sources, further informed that the AICC high command had not approved Niva Konwar as Congress nominee from Sivasagar constituency although she had already filed nominations as Congress candidate. It was learnt that the high command has given ticket to Pranab Gogoi to contest polls as Congress candidate from Sivasagar constituency. Meanwhile, Congressmen of West Guwahati area this morning shouted slogans against the APCC president, Tarun Gogoi in front of his residence in the city in protest against selection of party nominee for the West Guwahati LAC. Later in the day, the APCC president who is in the eye of a storm over the candidate selection process, proceeded to Golaghat to participate in the election campaign. It was learnt that the top brass of the APCC leadership have left the city for different corners of the State to jump onto the electioneering even as a section of Congressmen continued to cry foul over candidate selection.