Ratul Kalita Resigns from Congress, Criticizes Leadership for Ignoring Grassroots Workers

Ratul Kalita's Resignation from Congress

Nalbari, March 7: Ratul Kalita, a prominent figure in the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), announced his resignation from the party on Saturday, sharply criticizing state president Gaurav Gogoi and the leadership for allegedly neglecting grassroots members in favor of political elites.

During a press conference held at his home in Nalbari, Kalita expressed his belief that ordinary party members like himself are undervalued, while those with influential political connections receive preferential treatment.

“As someone from a humble background, I feel overlooked by senior party leaders. The Congress seems to prioritize the sons of ministers and political dynasties,” Kalita stated.

He further accused Gaurav Gogoi of distancing himself from grassroots members and failing to acknowledge the efforts of long-standing party supporters.

“If Gaurav Gogoi does not recognize our contributions, how can we continue to support the party? A true leader should act as a president, not a monarch,” he remarked.

Kalita also mentioned that the party leadership had disregarded several incidents involving him, including a confrontation with police officer Mrinal Dekai outside Rajiv Bhavan.

“Not a single leader or the party president reached out to me after the incident where I was allegedly assaulted by a police officer. Journalists inquired about it, but no one from the party checked on my well-being,” he claimed.

He expressed frustration with the party's candidate selection process, revealing that he had applied for a Congress ticket for the 2021 Assembly elections and again this time, but was consistently overlooked.

“In 2021, I sought a ticket from Congress. This time, I chose not to contest against senior leader Pradyut Kumar Bhuyan out of respect, yet I was still disregarded. The ticket went to another candidate, and despite waiting for nearly 90 hours, no leader contacted me about it,” he explained.

Kalita noted that it was only after news of his press conference circulated that senior party leader Meera Borthakur reached out, urging him to remain in the party.

“She mentioned that I am still young and have time. But if age and time are the criteria, what about leaders like Tanzil Hussain or Pratik Bardoloi who have been given opportunities?” he questioned.

He also alleged that the Congress party has increasingly favored candidates with previous affiliations to the BJP over loyal party members.

“Currently, only rejected leaders from the BJP are receiving tickets in Congress, while dedicated Congress workers who have served for years are being ignored,” he asserted.

This resignation has caused a stir in Nalbari, with reports indicating that over twenty Congress leaders and workers have also resigned alongside Kalita.

During the press conference, some supporters were visibly emotional as they announced their resignations in support of Kalita.

Kalita confirmed that he has stepped down from all party roles and from his primary membership in Congress.

He mentioned that he would discuss his future political direction with his supporters and associates later that evening.

“We will convene tonight to deliberate on our next steps. After that, we will decide which political party to join,” Kalita concluded.