Former Bihar, Tripur Governor Joins AIUDF

Guwahati, Jan 20 (IANS) In what is being seen a blow to Assam's ruling Congress ahead of the assembly polls, party leader and former Bihar and Tripura governor Devananda Konwar on Wednesday joined the AIUDF of perfume businessman Badaruddin Ajmal.

Konwar joined the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) at a public rally at Chenga in Barpeta district.

Ajmal formally welcomed Konwar to the AIUDF, saying it will prove to be beneficial for the party.

Konwar had joined the Congress in 1955 when he was a student leader and worked in various capacities in the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC).

Though he did not divulge the reasons behind his joining the AIUDF, the difference of opinion with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is believed to be one of the main factors.

Konwar had served in the 1991 cabinet of then chief minister Hiteswar Saikia and in the Gogoi cabinet of 2001.

He was, however, dropped from the council of ministers after differences with Gogoi.

The educationist turned lawyer turned politician, who represented Thaora constituency in Sivasagar district, lost the 2006 assembly election.

In 2009, Konwar was appointed governor of Bihar till 2013. He also held additional charge of West Bengal governor from December 2009 to January 2010.

He was appointed Tripura governor in March 2013, and was removed from the post on June 28, 2014.

A controversy broke out when Konwar was Bihar governor in 2012 when the state's accountant general, who reports to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in an audit of his expenses, objected to the expenditure incurred by the governor from January 2009 to March 2012.