SILCHAR | The Congress’ preparations for the Silchar Municipal Corporation election were hit by internal dissent on Thursday, hours after the party announced candidates for 39 of the city’s 42 wards. Furniture was allegedly vandalised at the Silchar District Congress Committee office as a section of party supporters protested against the selection of candidates for Wards 27 and 36.

A chair in the chamber of district Congress president Sajal Acharjee was reportedly damaged, although he was not present when the incident took place. Police were deployed at the party office and brought the situation under control. Former minister and senior Congress leader Misbahul Islam Laskar was also seen at the premises amid the unrest.

Some protesters alleged that the party had overlooked long-time workers while awarding a ticket in one of the wards to a woman leader who had recently joined the Congress after crossing over from the BJP. Party members contacted for a response declined to comment. Acharjee’s cellphone remained unreachable following the incident, and no formal reaction from the district Congress leadership was available at the time of filing this report.

The episode has brought the Congress’ internal differences into the open at the beginning of the civic election campaign and could pose an early challenge to the party leadership’s efforts to maintain unity. The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, headed by president Gaurav Gogoi, had approved the candidate list, which was issued through a circular signed by general secretary (organisa tion) Ramanna Baruah.

However, nominees for Wards 20, 21 and 34 have not yet been announced, suggesting that consultations over the remaining seats are continuing. The list includes organisational functionaries as well as former civic representatives. Radha Das has been nominated from Ward 7, while former Mahila Congress president Bandita Trivedi will contest from Ward 8. Ward 13 is expected to witness a closely watched contest, with the Congress fielding advocate Binay Krishna Das, a former municipal commissioner and vice-chairperson of the erstwhile Silchar Municipal Board.

The ward has already attracted political attention following reported dissent within the BJP over its nominee. Ironically, the APCC circular announcing the candidates directed District Congress Committee office-bearers, Mandal committees and party workers to extend full cooperation to the nominees and coordinate their campaigns. The unrest at the district office, however, underlined the gap between the leadership’s call for unity and the discontent among sections of the party organisation. September 11 is the last date for filing nominations. Scrutiny will be held on September 14, while candidates can withdraw their nominations until September 17. Polling for the Silchar Municipal Corporation is scheduled for October 3, with counting set for October 6