To join or not to join Congress; Rumi’s Hamlet acts

SILCHAR, Nov 22: Her companions in ‘betrayal’ against the BJP had joined the ruling party Congress, but Dr Rumi Nath, MLA or Borkhola, apparently suffered from dilemma like Hamlet. To join or not to join that’s the question for the young MLA, who along with her three BJP colleagues violated party diktats and voted for the Congress candidates in the Rajya Sabha election. Kartik Sena Sinha, MLA of Patharkandi and Abhijit Hazarika who represented Rangapara in the State Legislature, joined the Congress on Sunday. Another BJP MLA Sambhu Singh Mallah of Ratabari, however, did not join the ruling party. But, the Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, while welcoming the MLAs, said that Rumi would also join, but as she was sick, she could not be physically present on Sunday’s programme. But, contrary to Gogoi’s claim, Rumi was all hale and hearty and on Monday she led a group of local people from her constituency to the Deputy Commissioner office in Silchar. On Friday, Kartik Sena first broke the news that he along with Rumi would ceremonially join the Congress on Sunday. But, speaking to The Sentinel, Rumi on Saturday outrightly rejected the report and reported, who had authorized Kartik Sena to make such announcement on her behalf. But sources said, Rumi had, a few months back, approached APCC president Bhubaneswar Kalita and sought primary membership of Congress. But Kalita’s response was not much encouraging. Rumi had earlier told this Correspondent that she would contest the next election as Independent. But, sources said, she was pursuing Congress nomination from Katigorah, and she had rounds of talks with Gogoi, who had reportedly dodged any clear answer. Rumi, on the other hand, had reportedly made up her mind that unless the Congress confirmed her nomination, she would not join the ruling party. Rather, she would contest as an Independent. But, the claim made by none other than the Chief Minister that Rumi would also join the Congress, the entire episode gets a new twist. While quizzed on Monday, Rumi excused herself from making any comment. (SentinelAssam)