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GUWAHATI — Congress leader Rakibul Hussain, who was elected to the Lok Sabha with the highest victory margin, resigned as a member of the Assam assembly on Tuesday.
He handed over his resignation letter to Speaker Biswajit Daimary, in the presence of Deputy Speaker Numal Momin and several Congress leaders.
The MP-elect from Dhubri was also given a farewell by the Congress legislature party (CLP).
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Hussain, a five-time legislator from Samaguri in Nagaon district, was the deputy leader of the CLP in the current assembly.
Leader of opposition Debabrata Saikia and several senior leaders and MLAs, including chief whip Wajid Ali Choudhury, Bharat Chandra Narah, Jakir Hussain Sikdar and Nandita Deka, were present at the farewell function.
Addressing the function, Hussain said it was mixed emotions for him as he steps out of the assembly and into the Lok Sabha.
"It is a moment of pride as well as a tinge of sorrow today," he said.
He expressed his gratitude to the people of Dhubri, a seat he won by 10.12 lakh votes, making it the highest victory margin ever as he defeated the incumbent MP Badruddin Ajmal of AIUDF.
The Congress leader also extended his gratitude to the people of the Samaguri assembly segment.
"I have been winning from Samaguri since 2001, whether the wave was in favour of Congress or not. I thank the people for constantly showing such faith in me," he said.
Hussain said that though he was entering the political arena of New Delhi, he would be coming back to state politics.
He said that he was initially reluctant to contest from Dhubri, but the party leadership told him that his candidature was crucial for defeating "certain forces".
Later talking to reporters, Hussain said the decision for him to contest from Dhubri was taken by the party.
"I didn't choose Dhubri. The party did its own survey and told me that if I were to contest there, we would win. And that's what happened," he said.
On speculations that the Congress might field his son for the by-election to the Samaguri assembly seat, Hussain said, "My son has been in the NSUI. He is actively associated with the party. If he gets the ticket, it will be the decision of the party leadership."
Congress had retained its tally of three seats in the Lok Sabha from this northeastern state, while the BJP won nine seats, and its allies AGP and UPPL one each.