The selection of a little known tea tribe leader Santiuse Kujur for second Rajya Sabha seat by the Congress party in Assam has surcharged the political atmosphere of state with indigenous tribal groups up in arms against ruling party.
The problem started with the remarks of tea tribe leader and MLA Raju Sahu who not only criticised former minister and MLA Anjan Dutta for opposing the nomination of a tea tribe leader but also dared non-tea tribe MLAs to face consequences.
The remark of tea-tribe MLA provoked the tribal groups, which on Tuesday blamed ruling Congress of appeasing tea tribe community while depriving political space to Motak, Moran, Sutia, and Koch Rajbongshi communities in the state politics.
President of Koch Rajbongshi Associations Biswajit Roy told this newspaper, “I want to ask CM Tarun Gogoi as to what was the criteria of selecting Santiuse Kujur for RS.”
Mr Roy said, “We submitted a memorandum asking for a representation in RS from Koch Rajbongshi community but the name of their community leader could not find a place in the panel of the Congress party.”