Sonia Gandhi appoints state Congress chiefs in Assam, Manipur

Guwahati: Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi has appointed new state chiefs for Assam and Manipur to strengthen the party in the two Northeastern states, party sources said on Sunday.

After months of debate, Sonia Gandhi appointed Bhupen Bora as the President of Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC). The incumbent state party chief Ripun Bora had resigned after the party's defeat in the March-April Assembly polls.

According to a communication from General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, Sonia Gandhi also appointed Jakir Hussain Sikdar, Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, both MLAs and Rana Goswami as the Working Presidents.

Bhupen Bora and Goswami have been relieved from their present responsibilities as state secretaries. Ripun Bora, also a Rajya Sabha member, was elected twice to the state Assembly, but in the recent Assembly elections he lost to Amiyo Bhuyan of the BJP in the Bihpuria constituency.

Venugopal in a separate message said that the Congress President has appointed Loken Singh, Senior Vice-President and MLA, in the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) as interim President of the state party unit till a full time President is appointed.

Elections to the 60-member Manipur Assembly will be held next year.

Along with by few other leaders, Govindas Konthoujam last week resigned as the Manipur Congress President. Former Union Minister and Manipur Congress in-charge Bhakta Charan Das recently visited the state and met MLAs, following which Singh was appointed as interim president.