GUWAHATI: Former minister and AGP MLA from Patacharkuchi Pabindra Deka on Tuesday resigned from the party after he was allegedly sidelined by the party leadership for protesting against the citizenship law.
Deka, one of the founding members of AGP, is likely to join the newly formed Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP).
“I have resigned from the primary membership of the party as it has lost the regionalism and ethno nationalism characteristics. When the CAB was introduced for the second time in Parliament last year, AGP was silent and its lone member Birendra Prasad Baishya voted in favour of the bill helping to pass the contentious bill,” Deka, a three times MLA of Patacharkuchi and former Aasu adviser, said.
He added that he was vocal against the citizenship law as it might upset the demography and culture of the region and protested openly during the CAA agitation as it was decided at the AGP general council meeting.
“I opposed the contentious CAA openly....subsequently punished and sidelined by the party,” Deka said, asserting that regionalism is not safe at the hand of AGP, which is one of the reasons for his resignation.
He claimed AGP has surrendered before BJP, the alliance partner in the Assam government. “The regional party has failed to protect Assam’s interest and raise its voice for the problems of the state. The construction of the 2000MW Lower Subansiri hydro power project against which AGP had once protested is now going on. The oil fields are now being sold and the two defunct paper fills are on the verge of collapse. But AGP is unable to protest or raise issues before its ally both at the Centre and state,” Deka said.
Deka added that he will contest the 2021 assembly elections from the Pathacharkuchi constituency. When asked which party he will join, the veteran leader said he will join one of the newly floated regional parties — Raijor Dol or AJP — which will be decided in the next two days.
In the meanwhile, AGP in a statement said the exit of Deka is a form of “opportunism” and “laughable” act.