Assam Congress working president Rana Goswami resigns; likely to join BJP

Earlier on Sunday, Goswami resigned from his role as the organisational in-charge of Upper Assam, citing “various political reasons”

Updated on: Feb 28, 2024, 13:16:51 IST

By Utpal Parashar

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Guwahati: In another setback to the Congress, senior party leader and Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Rana Goswami resigned on Wednesday, officials aware of the matter said.

“I beg to state that I am tendering my resignation as the working president of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee and as an active member of Indian National Congress,” Goswami wrote in a letter addressed to KC Venugopal, general secretary (organisation) of Congress.

Earlier on Sunday, Goswami resigned from his role as the organisational in-charge of Upper Assam, citing “various political reasons”.

The decision comes after he met with his followers on Saturday night in his hometown Jorhat, amid speculations that the former MLA was planning to join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or its ally, the Asom Gana Parishad.

Also Read: Himachal minister Vikramaditya Singh announces resignation amid political crisis

The development came two weeks after another Congress working president – Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha (an MLA from North Karimganj), and Mangaldai legislator Basanta Kumar Das – quit the party and extended support to the BJP-led government in the state.

Goswami is expected to meet with the BJP’s central leadership and chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Sarma is presently in Delhi to discuss party candidates for the coming Lok Sabha polls, said officials.

Earlier on Tuesday, Sarma said that Giswami is a strong leader from Jorhat and the party will welcome him if he takes any such decision.

Goswami had been elected twice to the state assembly, in 2006 and 2011, from Jorhat as a Congress candidate. There’s speculation that he could be the BJP candidate from the Titabar seat (also in the Jorhat district) in the 2026 assembly polls.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

Home/Cities/Others/Assam Congress Working President Rana Goswami Resigns; Likely To Join BJP