GUWAHATI
A veteran leader of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), a minor ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ended his association with the 126-member Assam Assembly on Friday after more than 38 years.
Phani Bhushan Chouhdury, 72, was overcome with emotion after he submitted his resignation as a legislator from western Assam’s Bongaigaon constituency to Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary.
His election to the Lok Sabha from the Barpeta Parliamentary constituency necessitated the resignation.
Mr. Choudhury, known for his clean image, was Assam’s longest-serving MLA.
“I remember the day I entered the Assembly – January 9, 1986. I will also remember this day [June 14] for leaving the hallowed House I have been a part of for more than 38 years and five months,” he said, breaking into tears.
“As soon as I resigned, I wondered whether I was right or wrong in contesting the parliamentary elections and whether I did not do justice to the people of Bongaigaon who elected me eight times since 1985,” Mr. Choudhury said.
People in Bongaigaon had staged protests when the AGP and BJP decided that he would be the NDA’s consensus candidate in Barpeta. Mr. Choudhury managed to placate them by saying he might not be able to focus his attention on Bongaigaon if he wins, but the constituency will always be close to his heart.
Bongaigaon is one of 10 Assembly constituencies under the Barpeta Lok Sabha seat.
“It is an emotional day for us but our experienced leader [Mr. Choudhury] has been chosen for a bigger role,” AGP president and Agriculture Minister Atul Bora said.
Mr. Choudhury’s victory over his nearest Congress rival helped the AGP get a representative in the Lok Sabha after 20 years.
He served as a Minister twice, first in Prafulla Kumar Mahanta’s AGP government from 1996-2001) and then in Sarbananda Sonowal’s BJP-led government from 2016-2021.
