GUWAHATI, March 16 � Discontentment was evident in the Congress camp with hundreds of party workers thronging the Rajiv Bhawan premises today registering their protest against the candidature of former Member of Parliament Kirip Chaliha (Hajo), former Member of Assam Legislative Assembly Hiranya Bora (Sootea) and Jayanta Das (Boko) in the ensuing Assembly election.
The aggrieved members were demanding ticket for Gopinath Das and Haren Das in lieu of Jayanta Das and Kirip Chaliha.
The party members even resorted to vandalism inside the Rajiv Bhawan premises ransacking the party premises and shouted anti-Congress leadership slogans.
Security forces deployed in and around the Congress headquarters even resorted to lathicharge to control the situation. Several Congress party workers sustained injuries during the lathicharge.
Election in-charge of Assam and All Indian Congress Committee general secretary Digvijay Singh, who reached Rajiv Bhawan amidst protests by the party workers, later told media persons that the party will look into the specific complaints and take necessary steps after reviewing the entire situation.
�Such resentments are not new but we will look into specific complaints and try to convince the party workers,� Singh said.
On Congress Mahila Morcha's demand, Singh said, �Last time when we fielded the Mahila Morcha candidate, she could fetch few votes, which is why the party has decided against it this time.�
Representatives of Mahila Morcha have threatened to dissolve the Morcha if its president is not given ticket in the ensuing Assembly election.
Singh, while condemning the recent acts of violence in the State, said that the Congress always believed in non-violence and despite the acts of violence, the party�s poll campaign will begin as was scheduled.
On the recent blast triggered by the ULFA inside the Rajiv Bhawan, the senior Congress leader stated, �Threat is not new to the party and Congress is not a party of cowards. But we will request the Paresh Baruah faction of the ULFA to shun violence and join the democratic process.�
On giving tickets to candidates with criminal charges, Singh replied, �Until a person is proven guilty by the court of law, he is innocent.�
Singh was accompanied by APCC president Bhubaneswar Kalita and State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Later in the day, the AICC general secretary met representatives of aggrieved party workers and discussed their grievances.
