Udalguri Congress candidate Daimari quits day before Assam poll

A day before polling in Assam, Congress candidate for the Udalguri seat, Suren Daimari, on Wednesday announced he has quit the party and “surrendered” his candidature. The Congress, however, said that he was yet to submit his resignation letter to the party. A senior election commission official, when contacted, said Daimari’s name will remain in the EVM, and people can still vote for him since the deadline for withdrawing nomination has long passed.

Congress Spokesperson Bedabrata Bora told the media that Daimari has announced his decision in front of the media and has not yet submitted his resignation letter to the party. Earlier in the day, Daimari told reporters that he has resigned from the Congress and “surrendered” his candidature. “There is no benefit of being in Congress. It has betrayed me,” he said.

“The Congress only works for the Miyas, but they do nothing for the Scheduled Tribes like me,” Daimari alleged. He claimed that after nominating him from the Udalguri seat, the Congress offered no support in campaigning.

“I called up the party leadership repeatedly, but they did not even receive my call. I am hurt because they did not help me at all. The district Congress committee did not help me,” Daimari said. After waiting for a long time for a response, and when it did not come, the decision was taken to leave the party, he added.

When asked why he resigned just a day before the polling, Daimari said: “I have not betrayed the party, the party has betrayed me.” In the situation arising from Daimari’s announcement, the senior poll panel official clarified that the deadline for withdrawing nominations had long passed and candidates’ names had already been loaded onto the EVMs.

“In fact, the polling parties have left for their polling stations. So, there is no question of withdrawing one’s name now from the contest,” he added.

Polling for the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held on April 9, while the results will be declared on May 4. Four candidates are in the fray for the Udalguri Assembly seat.

Apart from Daimari, BJP ally BPF’s Rihon Daimari, UPPL’s Dipen Boro and Voters Party International’s Unike Basumatary are contesting in the seat.