NEW DELHI, Dec 25 - Former State Minister and Golaghat MLA Ajanta Neog was on Friday expelled from the Congress for indulging in anti-party activities. A formal communication issued by Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi �has approved the proposal of expulsion of Neog from the primary membership of party for indulging in anti-party activities, with immediate effect�.
The last minute move by the Congress is being seen as an initiative to save itself from further embarrassment following reports that the former Assam PWD Minister was reportedly planning to join the BJP during the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to Guwahati on Saturday. Sources said that the Assam Congress had appraised the party high command about the development, and since Neog was a senior leader of the state Congress and a sitting MLA, a decision was taken to expel her from primary membership of the party.
Sources said that Neog was reportedly summoned by the Enforcement Directorate as well besides other state vigilance agencies.
Our Staff Reporter adds: Meanwhile, Ajanta Neog on Friday quit the Congress and also resigned from membership of the Assam Legislative Assembly.
Speaker Hitendra Nath Goswami said he has received Neog�s resignation. �She has sent her resignation. It was in order. I have accepted it,� Goswami told The Assam Tribune.
The Assam Congress had on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to Neog asking her to clear her stand by Friday after reports of her decision to join BJP surfaced.
Last week, Neog had a closed door meeting with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Finance Minister and NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma.
It was earlier reported that Neog will join the BJP on Friday during Amit Shah�s visit to Guwahati. However, Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday denied any such development.
�I can clearly say that there will be no joining tomorrow (Saturday). Amit Shah�s visit is for different reasons. If anybody joins the BJP, then he or she will do it at our party�s State head office here. Nobody is joining tomorrow. But tomorrow, we will be having a meeting of our core committee where the matter of inductions may be taken up. But joining will happen only at our State head office. Amit Shah will not participate in a party meeting tomorrow. He is coming for a government programme,� Sarma said.
