Guwahati, Dec. 30: Asam Sahitya Sabha president Dhruba Jyoti Borah resigned today.

Borah's decision followed weeks-long controversy surrounding the Sabha. It came a day after the Sabha executive refused to accept general secretary Paramananda Rajbongshi's resignation.

Borah's two-year term was till March 31 next year.

"I have resigned from the president's post, entrusting all responsibility to the branch committees, district committees and central committee of the Sabha. The Sabha's inherently very strong as a result of which it could travel a 100-year journey. This very strength will help these committees run the literary body," Borah told reporters after resigning from his post.

"As the people of the state elected me, I need to tender my resignation to them. As I cannot submit my resignation to each of them personally I am announcing it to them (people) through you (the media)," he added.

Hours after Borah's resignation, the Sabha's vice-president Parag Kumar Thakur, treasurer Bipul Deuri, and executive member Nurul Sultan also tendered their resignation letters, honouring the president's move to quit from his post.

Borah's resignation comes at a time when the Sabha is preparing to observe its year-long centenary celebrations, beginning with various programmes in Sivasagar district from February.

It had planned a number of events and projects during the year.

The Sabha has been hounded by two controversies. A section of people had alleged that Rajbongshi was the person behind the Sabha's decision - in its Haflong session in February this year - to extend the term of all committees by a year.

Four former presidents of the Sabha and a section of writers and academicians recently protested the extension.

Rajbongshi's name was also implicated in the suicide of the Sabha's former accountant, Rajendra Nath Dutta.

On December 23, Borah had announced that he declared the Haflong session's decision (to extend term) null and void by using powers vested in him by the Sabha's constitution.

The Sabha has begun the process to elect the next executive body. Several district and branch committees demanded Rajbongshi's resignation and gradually started blaming Borah for "protecting" Rajbongshi.

Ulfa (I) later demanded Borah's resignation.

"I have no personal problems with Rajbongshi. In the past one-and-a-half years we worked together and observed his sincerity. I wish him a bright future," said a statement released by Borah.

"Of late, when controversies surrounding him shrouded the Sabha and people's opinion went against Rajbongshi, I requested him five times to relieve his post, considering the future of the Sabha. At first I requested him personally and on later occasions in front of other senior Sabha office-bearers. The last time I requested him was on Wednesday, a day before the executive meeting," said Borah.

He said he had been thinking of announcing his resignation on December 23.

"But on that day I received a copy of the statement issued by Rajbongshi to the media that he would resign on December 29. So, I waited to see what would follow," he said.

Borah said he had received full support from the people of Assam and all members and office-bearers of the Sabha.

He said he had launched an ambitious project, among others, of making a Rs 10-crore corpus fund to rescue the Sabha from a perennial financial crisis.

Borah said the Sabha's constitution says that the election process for the next executive body should begin in December and not July as claimed by four former presidents of the Sabha.