Congress workers level corruption, nepotism charges against Srijangram MLA

A section of Congress workers on February 27 levelled serious allegations of corruption and family-centric politics against Srijangram MLA Abdul Batin Khandakar, triggering fresh internal unrest within the party in Bongaigaon district. 

The allegations were made at a press conference held at the Congress office, Rajiv Bhawan, located at the commercial market area of Balarchar.

Addressing the media, Congress workers accused the legislator of running what they described as a “commission raj” in the constituency and indulging in nepotistic practices. They alleged that over the past five years, members of the MLA’s family were repeatedly engaged in various works, resulting in substandard execution while large commissions were allegedly siphoned off.

The workers also accused the MLA of artificially projecting public support on social media, claiming that money was spent to purchase likes and comments on Facebook to create a false impression of popularity. According to them, genuine grassroots support from party workers was missing and was being substituted with paid online engagement.

Warning the party leadership, the disgruntled workers said the Congress high command would bear responsibility if Abdul Batin Khandakar was renominated as the party’s candidate. They demanded that a new face be given the ticket from the Srijangram Assembly constituency in the upcoming election, asserting that failure to do so would have serious political consequences for the party.

Several workers claimed that if the present MLA was fielded again, defeat in the constituency was “certain,” adding that more than a hundred party workers shared the same view. The public airing of grievances has once again highlighted growing factionalism within the Congress at the grassroots level in the district.