Friends-turned-foes Pallab Lochan Das and Rakibul Hussain are regularly taking potshots at each other. Recently, former forest minister Rakibul Hussain said power minister in Sarbananda Sonowal cabinet Pallab Lochan Das smells like a Congressman. It may be interesting to note that Das was earlier in Congress and later he joined BJP alongside Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Reacting to Hussain’s statement, Das on Thursday said, “Rakibul says a lot of irrelevant things which don’t have any meaning at all. Actually, he is a bit upset at his present condition. He is losing importance even in Congress. And as long as he is there in Congress, they will never return to power. Not just Congress, this is applicable to other parties as well. If he joins All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) or any other party tomorrow, they will also not come to power.”
Das said that Rakibul had importance as long as Himanta Biswa Sarma was there in the party. “As long as Himanta Biswa Sarma was there in Congress, Rakibul had some importance. Once he left, Rakibul also lost importance. He misused power when he was a minister. He was the main reason behind the debacle of Congress in Assam.”
Rakibul was also attacked by irrigation minister Ranjit Dutta. Reacting on Rakibul’s comment that Dutta and Guwahati (East) MLA Siddhartha Bhattacharya have no place in BJP anymore, Dutta said, “We are very sure about our place in BJP. It is Rakibul and Tarun Gogoi who have no place in Assam politics anymore. Rakibul shouldn’t worry about what is going on inside the BJP. He should put his efforts in solving the internal feud within Congress.”