Only TMC Can Fight BJP: Ripun Bora

Former Assam Congress president Ripun Bora, who defected to Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday, said that there has been a lot of infighting in the Congress party and only TMC can fight the BJP.

"I was associated with the Congress party for nearly 40 years. I have no grievance against the Congress and its leaders. I resigned on a few policy and ideological matters," Bora said.

"The way BJP has grown has threatened the social fabric of the country. Congress being the grand old party should have fought the BJP but there was a lot of fighting within the party. I am convinced only TMC can fight BJP," he added.

Bora resigned from Congress on Sunday and joined the TMC. He cited the infighting in the Congress party as the reason for his resignation. He said that there has been “continuous inner fight by a section of senior most leaders of Assam PCC”.

In a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Bora said that the BJP has been successful in maintaining ground in the state as some leaders of the Congress are fighting for their own vested interest.

“The manner in which communal and decisive forces are growing across the country under BJP's rule is a serious threat to the democracy, constitution, secularism and economy of our country,” Bora said.

“But instead of fighting unitedly and aggressively to prevent BJP at this critical juncture,, the leaders of the grand old Congress are fighting among themselves for their vested interests,” he added.

Further, Bora also alleged that a section of “senior-most leaders of Assam PCC have been maintaining a secret understanding with the BJP government mainly with the Chief Minister.”

It may be mentioned that Bora’s resignation comes following his defeat in the recently concluded Rajya Sabha elections.

Bora, a former state minister, is undeniably a big name in Assam politics. Last year after the Congress lost in the state assembly elections, Bora had resigned from the post of party president taking moral responsibility.

Bora is the third top Congress leader from the Northeast to switch to TMC after Susmita Dev and Mukul Sangma.

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