A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: Congress had a big setback in Lakhimpur district on Thursday before the Municipal Board Election, 2022. As a result of a new twist of political development in the district centering round the election, a ward member candidate of Congress under North Lakhimpur Municipal Board (NLMB) joined the BJP, quitting the party.
This candidate is Ashraful Hussain Hazarika whom Lakhimpur District Congress Committee nominated as the candidate for Ward No. 13 under NLMB on February 14. He filed his nomination as a Congress candidate on February 15. However, the candidate withdrew his nomination on Thursday and joined BJP at Lakhimpur district unit office along with six supporters who were also the office beaters and active members of the local unit of Congress. He joined BJP in the presence of Lakhimpur MP Pradan Baruah, MLA Manab Deka, Lakhimpur district unit BJP president Phanidhar Baruah, general secretary Dul Saikia and other district level leaders. After joining the BJP, Ashraful Hussain Hazarika spewed venom against Congress alleging transaction of cash with regard to giving party tickets to the ward member candidates.
With his joining, BJP had a walk over in Lakhimpur district before the urban body poll in NLMB. As a result of this development, Hifzur Rahman Baruah, the BJP candidate for Ward No. 13 has won the seat uncontested. Now, polls will be held for 20 seats out of 21 under NLMB on March 6. On the other hand, Lakhimpur District Congress Committee president Pradip Gogoi informed that the party would initiate disciplinary action against Ashraful Hussain Hazarika very soon.
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