Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Assam MP Pradyut Bordoloi joined the BJP on Wednesday, a day after leaving Congress and being invited by BJP’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.Speaking after Bordoloi joined BJP Sarma said, “Assam Pradesh BJP will recommend to the central leadership that he should fight the assembly elections. There is no reason for someone with self-respect to stay with the Congress party. We aim to bring more Congress leaders into the party.”Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday called his resignation “very unfortunate”. She suggested that Bordoloi was upset over ticket allocation for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections. She said the party wished it had a chance to speak with him before he resigned.
“It is very unfortunate. I think he was upset over one ticket allocation, and we wish we had a chance to have a conversation about it,” she said.In his resignation letter to the AICC president Bordoloi had said he had been facing internal issues within the party. His move came shortly after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly invited him to join the BJP.Speaking to reporters after the resignation, Bordoloi said he was not happy with the decision but felt compelled to take the step. He said he had been insulted on several issues by people within the Congress, especially in Assam, and claimed that the party leadership did not show sympathy towards him. Bordoloi’s exit comes about a month after former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah also joined the BJP after a long stint in the party.The development comes ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, which will be held in a single phase on April 9 for all 126 seats. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.The elections will see a contest between the BJP-led government, seeking a third consecutive term under Himanta Biswa Sarma, and the Congress, which aims to return to power.
