Guwahati, May 25 (IANS) Senior BJP MLA Biswajit Daimary on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Congress party in Assam, claiming that the party’s internal distrust and factionalism were the primary reasons behind its failure to elect a Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly.

Speaking to IANS, Daimary said Congress legislators lacked confidence in one another, making it difficult for the party to arrive at a consensus on leadership.

“There is no trust among them. Nobody is able to trust anyone else, and because of this, they have failed to elect the Leader of Opposition till now,” the BJP leader said.

Daimary further stated that despite a late-night meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), the opposition camp could not resolve the deadlock over the LoP issue. “Even after the CLP meeting held late last night, they could not decide. When trust between leaders is lost, selecting leadership becomes extremely difficult,” he said.

The senior BJP MLA alleged that factional politics within Congress had weakened the party’s organisational unity in Assam. “One group trusts one leader while another group backs someone else. There is no mutual faith within the Congress anymore, and that is clearly coming out now,” Daimary remarked.

Congress, which emerged as the principal opposition party in the Assam Assembly, has so far failed to officially announce its Leader of Opposition, triggering political speculation over internal differences among senior legislators.

Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday said that the Congress high command will soon take a decision on the appointment of the Leader of Opposition in the Assam Assembly after completing consultations with party legislators.

Talking to reporters here, Baghel said the Congress Legislature Party meeting was successfully concluded with the participation of all party MLAs.

He stated that Congress legislators unanimously passed a resolution authorising the party high command to decide the Leader of Opposition, Deputy Leader and the Chief Whip in the Assam Assembly.

“The meeting of the Legislature Party concluded successfully, and all Congress MLAs were present. A unanimous resolution was passed authorising the high command to decide who will be the leader of the Legislature Party, Deputy Leader and Chief Whip,” Baghel had said.

The Congress party currently has 19 MLAs in the Assam Assembly and is expected to formally announce its Leader of Opposition after consultations with the central leadership are completed. The BJP-led alliance secured 102 seats in the 126-member Assembly, and the opposition suffered a crushing defeat.

–IANS

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