|
Dhubri, March 22: The formation of the Dhubri zilla parishad, which was scheduled for today, has been postponed by 15 days as Congress and other members were not present in the meeting.
The All India United Democratic Forum (AIUDF) alleged that the Congress was trying to buy time so that it can form the parishad despite having just 10 members in the 29-member body.
The AIUDF, which has 15 members, enjoys a simple majority in the parishad, which has one member each from the BJP and the AGP and an Independent.
The result for one seat has been held up following a re-count petition.
All 15 AIUDF members were present in the meeting, chaired by additional deputy commissioner Nurul Amin Laskar, but it had to be postponed because of lack of quorum, an official source said.
AIUDF Dhubri district unit president Aminur Ahmed alleged that the Congress members remained absent as part of a conspiracy to foil the meeting. “We got a whiff of the conspiracy yesterday, when panchayat and rural development minister Rakibul Hussain made an unscheduled visit to Dhubri.”
He said the Congress had been trying all along to form the board but had been unsuccessful, as AIUDF members had vowed not to ally with the Congress and were confident about forming the parishad.
Dhubri district Congress president Sushil Roy denied any conspiracy behind their absence in the meeting. He said the members were not informed by it. “But in the next meeting, all members will turn up and take part in the formation of the body,” he added.
Roy said the Congress was hopeful of forming the parishad and a few of its members were in constant touch with them.
Amir Fisal, AIUDF candidate from Airkata zilla parishad constituency of Dhubri district, also attended the meeting. The result for the seat, however, has been held up following a re-count petition filed by Fisal’s rival, Congress candidate Ashan Ali, in Gauhati High Court.
| 
