Guwahati: Assam Trinamool Congress (TMC) president Ripun Bora resigned from the party on Sunday, stating that the people of northeastern view it as a "regional party" of West Bengal and are "not willing to accept" it as their own.
In a letter to TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, the former Rajya Sabha member expressed that he had proposed numerous suggestions to party leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to make the TMC more acceptable in Assam, but these suggestions were "not implemented."
Perception of TMC as a regional party of Bengal'
"Assam TMC has great potential, but several recurring issues have hindered our progress, including the perception of TMC as a regional party of West Bengal. To counter this perception, we made several suggestions," Bora said in his resignation letter.
He said that he had recommended the appointment of an Assamese leader at the national level of the TMC, the designation of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika's residence in Tollygunge, Kolkata, as a heritage site, and the transformation of the Madhupur Satra in Cooch Behar into a cultural hub.
"To counter this perception, we made several suggestions, such as the need for an Assamese leader at the national level, declaring the residence of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika at Tollygunge as a heritage site, and converting the Madhupur Satra at Cooch Behar (the place from where Assam's greatest social reformer Mahapurush Sankar Dev started the Vaishnavite movement) into a cultural hub. Despite my repeated attempts over the past year and a half to secure an appointment with you and our Chief Mamata Didi to address these concerns, I have been unsuccessful," he added.
'I feel compelled to make a difficult decision'
He said that he has served as the state president of Assam TMC for over two years and during this period, he interacted extensively with people across the state. "Unfortunately, the issues mentioned above have led many people in Assam to continue viewing TMC as a regional party of West Bengal. The people of Assam are not willing to accept a party that they perceive as being from another state.
"In light of these challenges and the lack of an adequate resolution, I feel compelled to make a difficult decision and have decided to disassociate myself from TMC," Bora added.
(With PTI inputs)
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