Party leadership framed me just to hide their nexus with BJP: Suspended MLA Siddique Ahmed

After the Congress lost the Rajya Sabha elections, with many of its lawmakers suspected of voting against the party, suspended Congress leader and South Karimganj MLA Siddique Ahmed slammed the party leadership, accusing them of conspiring against the party.

Ahmed was suspended from the Congress party's primary membership with immediate effect on Thursday, hours before the Rajya Sabha election results were announced, for violating party discipline. According to a statement by Assam Congres, the MLA violated a party whip while casting his vote on the ballot paper. "He purposefully wrote One instead of 1," the order states.

Also read: https://www.insidene.com/karimganj-south-mla-siddique-ahmed-suspended/

Ahmed said, “I challenge that I have not done any wrong while casting my vote. Being a veteran MLA, I have been voting in Rajya Sabha polls for years and I know how to vote. I have not written ‘one’ instead of 1. I have been made a scapegoat. The party leadership has framed me just to hide their nexus with BJP.”

Earlier, Assam Congress chief Bhupen Bora accused the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), which had agreed to support the Congress candidate, of betraying the party and siding with the BJP.

In response, the AIUDF stated that they would support the Congress candidate under any circumstances, but also accused the Congress chief of conspiring against his own party's candidate ahead of the election.

According to AIUDF leaders, Bhupen Bora never wanted Ripun Bora to become an MP and was thus attempting to divide the Opposition by spreading lies.

Ahmed, on the other hand, went so far as to accuse All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Assam in charge Jitendra Singh and co-in charge Prithviraj Sathe of attempting to extort money from him in exchange for election tickets prior to the assembly election.

“A culture of corruption and money collection for party works has become a new trend in the Congress party. Till such leaders will be in Congress, it can never return to power,” Ahmed asserted.

The Congress candidate received 35 votes out of 126 cast, while he needed 42 to win the Rajya Sabha election. Both Rajya Sabha seats were won by the BJP and its ally UPPL.