Assam MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi resigns from Assembly, says Congress can’t move ahead with Rahul Gandhi at helm

Rupjyoti Kurmi hails from the tea community and is a four-time MLA and son of former Congress minister late Rupam Kurmi.

Assam Congress MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi today resigned as an MLA from the state Assembly and slammed the party’s top leadership. Kurmi, who submitted his resignation to Speaker Biswajit Daimary, rued the fact that the Congress party is not listening to its young leaders. “I’m leaving Congress as High Command in Delhi and Guwahati give priority to elderly leaders only. We’d told them the Congress has a good chance of coming to power this time and we shouldn’t forge an alliance with AIUDF as it would be a mistake. It indeed was,” said Rupjyoti Kurmi.

He alleged that Rahul Gandhi is unable to shoulder the party’s responsibility. “Congress isn’t listening to its young leaders. That’s why its situation is worsening in all states…..Rahul Gandhi is unable to shoulder leadership, if he’s at the helm, the party won’t move forward,” said Kurmi before tendering his resignation.

This is yet another jolt for Congress in Assam which is now out of power in the state for the second consecutive term. Former Congress leader Himanta Biswa Sarma had resigned from the party in 2015 after levelling similar allegations against the top leadership. He had joined the BJP and is now the Chief Minister of the state. Sarma has played a crucial role in keeping the Congress away from the corridors of power in the state.

Rupjyoti Kurmi hails from the tea community and is a four-time MLA and son of former Congress minister late Rupam Kurmi. Rupjyoti Kurmi has worked with Sarma for around a decade while they were together in the Congress. Kurmi said that he will join the saffron party on June 21. He was getting elected from the Mariani constituency since 2006.

On the other hand, the Congress expelled him from the party alleging ‘anti-party activities’. Assam Pradesh Congress President Ripun Bora has constituted a three-member team, led by former MLA Rana Goswami, to visit the Mariani assembly constituency and take stock of the political situation there. Thowra MLA Sushanta Borgohain and Manoj Dhanowar are other members of the team.