Priyanka Gandhi calls Pradyut Bordoloi’s resignation ‘unfortunate’ amid ticket row ahead of Assam polls

Senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday, March 18 termed the resignation of Assam leader and Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi as “very unfortunate”, indicating that dissatisfaction over ticket allocation for the upcoming Assembly elections may have triggered his exit.

Speaking to reporters, Priyanka Gandhi said the party leadership regretted not having had an opportunity to engage with Bordoloi before he stepped down. “It is very unfortunate. I think he was upset over one ticket allocation, and we wish we had a chance to have a conversation about it,” she said.

Bordoloi, a long-time Congress leader, announced his resignation alleging sustained neglect and internal mistreatment within the party. In an emotional statement, he said his decision marked a painful break from a lifelong association with the Congress.

“Today, I have abandoned one of the most important principles of my life, and I am not happy with it… I made this decision because I was being insulted on many issues by anyone who approached me from within the Congress party, especially in the Assam Congress. Even the leadership was not showing sympathy towards me,” Bordoloi told reporters, adding that he felt increasingly isolated despite decades of service.

The development comes amid internal churn in the Assam unit of the Congress, with Bordoloi’s exit following closely on the heels of former state party chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joining the Bharatiya Janata Party after a long stint with the party.

Adding a political dimension to the controversy, the Congress has fielded Bordoloi’s son, Prateek Bordoloi, from the Margherita Assembly constituency, a move that has drawn attention in the backdrop of the senior leader’s grievances over ticket distribution.

The resignation comes at a crucial juncture as Assam heads into a high-stakes electoral contest. According to the Election Commission of India, polling for all 126 Assembly constituencies will be held in a single phase on April 9, with counting scheduled for May 4.

While the BJP seeks a third consecutive term, the Congress faces the challenge of managing internal dissent even as it attempts to consolidate its position ahead of the polls.

Bordoloi’s exit is being viewed as a significant setback for the Congress in Assam, raising questions over internal cohesion at a time when the party is gearing up for a decisive electoral battle.