Ajanta Neog resigns as MLA; Sonia Gandhi expels her from party

GUWAHATI: Ajanta Neog, Congress MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) from Golaghat Constituency resigned from the party and also from the Assam Assembly on Friday. The Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly, Hitendranath Goswami accepted the resignation of Neog as a member of the House.

Meanwhile in another development, Congress president Sonia Gandhi expelled Neog for allegedly indulging in anti-party activities. Her expulsion from the party comes amid reports that the former Assam Public Works Department (PWD) Minister, Neog plans to join the ruling BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) during the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Congress general secretary K. C. Venugopal said in a statement, "Congress president has approved the proposal for expulsion of Neog from the primary membership of party for indulging in anti-party activities, with immediate effect."

Earlier on December 24, the APCC (Assam Pradesh Congress Committee) had served her a show-cause notice asking her to explain her stand on the reports in a section of the media that she was planning to join the BJP. She was asked to give her reply to the APCC (Assam Pradesh Congress Committee) on or before December 25.

However instead of giving her reply to the show-cause notice, Neog in a letter to APCC president Ripun Bora informed him on Friday, "I have decided to resign from all positions of the party including the primary membership of the INC (Indian National Congress) with immediate effect. I would also like to inform you that I have resigned as a Member of the Assam Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Golaghat Constituency."

Meanwhile replying to a question on whether Neog will join the BJP, Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told the media, "The day when she (Ajanta Neog) met Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal recently, there was no discussion about political issues. In fact, Neog came to submit a proposal to set up a university in the name of 'Sati Sadhini' in her constituency. Since the leader has tendered her papers from the Congress, it will not be strange if any BJP leader contacts her. And if Neog expresses her willingness to join the BJP, we will welcome her."