Major setback for Congress in Assam as former MLA Praneswar Basumatary resigns from party

Senior Congress leader Praneswar Basumatary has resigned from the Indian National Congress, citing marginalisation within the party despite his long-standing service.

Basumatary, a former MLA from Sootea, submitted his resignation to Gaurav Gogoi, the president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, stepping down from all party posts as well as from the primary membership of the Congress with immediate effect.

In his resignation letter, Basumatary stated that he had served the party for more than two and a half decades in various capacities, including as a legislator and as Vice President of the state Congress unit. However, he expressed dissatisfaction over what he described as being sidelined by the party leadership in the run-up to the 2026 Assam Assembly elections.

The veteran leader also highlighted his position as one of the senior-most Bodo leaders within the Congress in Assam, suggesting that the party’s decision to overlook him during the crucial electoral phase had deeply affected him.

“Despite serving the party for the last two and half decades in various positions including MLA and PCC Vice President, I have been sidelined by the party in this Assembly election 2026,” Basumatary wrote in his letter.

Stating that continuing in the party under the circumstances would be incompatible with his conscience, he announced his immediate resignation from all party responsibilities.

“I do hereby resign from all the posts presently I am holding in the Indian National Congress and from the primary membership of the party with immediate effect,” he wrote.