Assam MLA Bharat Narah quits Congress

GUWAHATI: The Assam unit of the Congress party has been dealt with a severe blow ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

On Monday (March 25), Bharat Chandra Narah, a member of the legislative assembly (MLA), representing Nowboicha in Lakhimpur district of Assam, quit the Congress party.

In another significant blow to the Assam Congress, Bharat Chandra Narah submitted his resignation from the primary membership of the party.

This move follows Narah’s earlier resignation as the chairman of the party's media cell, underscoring growing internal discord within the party.

In a brief resignation letter addressed to Congress party’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge, Narah conveyed his decision to quit the party.

The decision stems from the party's failure to nominate Narah's wife, Ranee Narah, for the Lakhimpur parliamentary constituency in Assam.

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Ranee Narah, a former member of parliament (MP) and a union minister during the Congress-led UPA 2 government, lost the nomination race to Uday Shankar Hazarika, who recently joined the Congress from the BJP.

Narah had previously expressed his disappointment by submitting his resignation letter to Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah before traveling to Delhi for discussions with the party leadership.

Despite this setback, Narah reaffirmed his steadfast dedication to the party's cause.

This development compounds the Congress's existing challenges, particularly amidst defections to the BJP, further complicating the party's electoral prospects, especially in Assam.

Supporters of Ranee Narah passionately advocated for her candidacy, highlighting her history of electoral successes and parliamentary experience.

Ranee, a former two-time Lok Sabha MP and one-time Rajya Sabha member, last secured the Lakhimpur seat in 2009 and subsequently served in the Rajya Sabha from 2016 to 2022.