New Delhi: Hours after quitting the Congress and announcing his retirement from politics on August 21, the party’s Tripura unit acting president Pijush Kanti Biswas withdrew his resignation, stating that he has been assured by the party that his grievances would be looked into.
Biswas, who had initially said that personal reasons prompted him to tender his resignation, made a u-turn later in the day and said he had offered to quit as there were matters that needed to be handled.
“The Tripura in-charge of the Congress, Ajoy Kumar, spoke with me and gave assurance that he would meet me to sort out the issues I am facing here. If he solves them, I don’t have any problem serving as the TPCC chief,” he said.
Kumar, on his part, said in a statement that the issues raised by Biswas will be resolved amicably and that he would meet Biswas on August 29.
Earlier on Saturday, Biswas had tweeted, “Today I have resigned from the post of president and retired from politics as well. My sincere gratitude to Hon’ble CP Smt. Sonia Gandhiji”.
With sincere gratitude I thank all Congress Leaders, supporters for your cooperation during my tenure as TPCC President (acting). Today I have resigned from the post of President and retired from politics as well. My sincere gratitude towards Hon’ble CP Smt. Sonia Gandhiji.
— Pijush Kanti Biswas (@sradvbiswas) August 21, 2021
Hours after withdrawing his resignation, Biswas was congratulated by TIPRA chief Pradyot Manikya Debbarma who himself had resigned as TPCC chairman in 2019.
Thanks Maharaj @PradyotManikya ji. I always want you to be on the side of Congress and the respect and honour you always gave me I am indebted for that. You are a person not only me but people from all communities respect. https://t.co/PZUxyjWB2Y
— Pijush Kanti Biswas (@sradvbiswas) August 21, 2021
Also read: Interview | ‘In Tripura, TMC Is Working to Keep BJP in Power’: State Congress Chief
Although he had told reporters that he had no plans of joining another party, Biswas’s day-long departure from the Congress had led to speculation on a possible move to the TMC.
Biswas’s move had come six days after former Silchar MP in the Lok Sabha and president of All India Mahila Congress Sushmita Dev resigned from the party and joined Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Earlier in an interview with The Wire, Biswas had said that the joining of ‘few people’ from Congress to the TMC was not going to affect his party. He had further said that TMC alone can’t do anything in Tripura without an alliance with Congress.
However, Biswas had also been the lawyer for Prashant Kishor-led Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), which was booked by Tripura Police for allegedly violating COVID-19 guidelines while conducting a survey on political perception in the state.
(With PTI inputs)