Assam Congress MLA and former Union Minister Bharat Narah resigns after six terms

Guwahati, March 25 (IANS) In a setback to Congress in Assam, MLA Bharat Chandra Narah resigns from the party after his wife was denied a ticket for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Narah, a six-time MLA, sent his resignation letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

Bharat Narah, who was elected to the state Assembly six times on a Congress ticket, resigned from the party after his wife Ranee Narah was denied a ticket for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. He was a Cabinet Minister in the state and had served as Chairman of the party’s media cell in Assam.

The veteran leader moved to Naoboicha seat in Lakhimpur district in 2021, and was re-elected on a Congress ticket. Meanwhile, Ranee Narah, a strong contender for the ticket in Lakhimpur seat, was replaced by Uday Shankar Hazarika for the upcoming polls. Hazarika switched from BJP to Congress in December last year.

Ranee Narah, who has won the Lok Sabha constituency thrice and was once elected to Rajya Sabha, was a prominent figure in Assam politics. She also served as a Union Minister in the Manmohan Singh-led government at the Centre. The decision to not give her a ticket has led to Bharat Narah’s resignation from the party.

“I do hereby resign from the Indian National Congress with immediate effect,” wrote Narah in his resignation letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. The move comes as a blow to Congress in Assam, with one of its seasoned leaders leaving the party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

The development showcases internal rifts within the party in Assam, as key leaders express their dissent over ticket distribution. With Bharat Narah’s resignation, Congress faces a challenge in maintaining unity and support in the state, as the election season approaches.