GUWAHATI: Assam’s longest serving MP, AGP’s Fani Bhusan Chowdhury, on Friday resigned from the parliament after winning the Lok Sabha elections.
Choudhury, who won from the Barpeta Assembly seat, was surrounded by AGP leaders including party chief Atul Bora and Rajya Sabha member Birendra Prasad Baishya and handed over his resignation to Speaker Biswajit Daimary.
He has represented Bongaigaon Assembly constituency continuously since 1985 and was a minister in the second AGP government from 1996 to 2001. He also served as a minister in the BJP-led government from 2016 to 2021.
Though the AGP lost the 2014 elections due to its lack of cooperation with other parties, it tasted victory in the Lok Sabha elections in its second attempt.
Speaking to reporters, an emotional Chaudhary expressed gratitude to the people of Bongaigaon for the unswerving faith they have in him.
“I am grateful to the people of Bongaigaon. I considered them like family and they reciprocated. I am forever indebted to them for always supporting me,” said Choudhury, 72, known for his frugal lifestyle, as tears ran down his cheeks.
He said that while as the MP from Barpeta constituency he expects equal justice to all the Congress members in his constituency, some of his dreams for Bongaigaon are yet to be realised.
In a post on X, Bora said the Barpeta constituency would benefit from Choudhury’s experience.
He thanked the people of Bongaigaon for their unwavering support to Choudhury for the last four decades and said, “Now, the people of Barpeta LS constituency have elected him as their MP. We are confident that Pani Da’s rich experience will take the development of Barpeta Assembly constituency to new heights.”
“We are confident that Pani Da will represent Assam’s interests strongly in the Indian Lok Sabha and we wish him every success in his new endeavour,” Bora added.
Choudhury is the first AGP leader to be elected to the Indian Lok Sabha in the last 15 years; the previous leader to be elected to the Lok Sabha was Joseph Toppo in 2009.
The party contested two seats in this Lok Sabha election as part of the BJP-led alliance in the state.
Published June 14, 2024 14:35 IST
