The Assam unit of the Trinamool Congress has been rocked by a bitter internal row, with state president Romen Chandra Borthakur lodging a police complaint against senior vice-president Dulu Ahmed, accusing him of sending threatening and abusive messages.
Borthakur told The Telegraph that he filed the complaint at Dispur police station on Wednesday, alleging that Ahmed had sent him “vulgar” and “abusive” WhatsApp messages and threatened him with “dire consequences” during a visit to his office on May 2.
In his complaint, Borthakur also named a close aide of Ahmed, party leader Sanjib Mahanta, for allegedly sending a threatening message on May 6, setting a May 12 deadline and warning of “no mercy.”
“Even today (Thursday), I received a threatening message. I fear for my life. I have sought action against both of them to protect myself,” Borthakur said, adding that the police have assured him of an inquiry.
Borthakur, who took over as state president in December, said he has informed the party’s central leadership about the issue and called for strict disciplinary action against Ahmed.
Both Borthakur and Ahmed are former Congress leaders.
The Trinamool Congress, which has struggled to establish itself as a political force in Assam, currently has no MLAs or MPs in the state. It had two MLAs in the past — former state president Dwipen Pathak and the late Alok Kumar Ghosh — but has seen its influence wane. In the last Lok Sabha elections, it contested four of the 14 seats in Assam but secured only 74,641 votes, translating to a 0.37 per cent vote share.
Party insiders said the infighting could further damage the TMC’s already fragile standing in the state ahead of next year’s Assembly elections.
Ahmed, a former Congress and Assam Jatiya Parishad leader, admitted to sending messages to Borthakur but accused the state president of “misusing” party funds meant for panchayat polls in lower Assam.
The second and final phase of the panchayat polls, held on Wednesday, recorded a 79.23 per cent turnout. Counting is scheduled for May 11.
Ahmed also criticised Borthakur’s leadership, accusing him of maintaining ties with Congress leaders, which he claimed left TMC workers unhappy.
Borthakur denied the allegations, stating that he is responsible for Upper Assam while Ahmed looks after Lower Assam and state in-charge Sushmita Dev oversees Barak Valley and Central Assam.
“Even if there is an issue with funds, who am I answerable to?” he asked, adding that he has been vocal against both the Congress and the ruling BJP and is trying to project the Trinamool Congress as an alternative in Assam.
