Assam: Boost for BJP as scores of TMC, Congress leaders join ruling party

Guwahati, Nov 11 (PTI) Nearly 150 members of different political parties, including the state general secretary of Trinamool Congress and many Congress leaders, joined the ruling BJP on Saturday.

Welcoming them, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma maintained that BJP is the only party that works in the interest of the nation, with no place for dynastic politics.

"I have always stressed on the fact that those who want to work for Bharat and Assam have no place in dynastic and family-centric parties as only @BJP4India works in the interest of the nation," Sarma wrote on X after some of the leaders who joined BJP later in the day called on him in the morning.

"I welcome those who will be joining the party today in their goal of serving Maa Bharti," Sarma added.

The state BJP unit shared on its official X handle a photograph of Sarma with the leader from Trinamool Congress and two from Congress as they met the chief minister on Saturday.

"Suresh Bora, Nagaon District Congress president, Paritosh Roy, working president, Assam Pradesh Youth Congress, and Dilip Sarma, general secretary, TMC, announce their resignation, marking a decisive turn. Aligning with HCM @Himantabiswa, they'll join BJP today, voicing their dissent against the I.N.D.I. alliance," it wrote.

A BJP spokesperson said nearly 150 leaders and workers, mostly from the Congress, joined the saffron party at a formal ceremony in the state party headquarters here.

"Most of them are district and block-level workers. They form the backbone of any party and we welcome them with into the BJP," he said.

BJP Assam unit president Bhabesh Kalita, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, several MLAs and top leaders were present at the joining ceremony. PTI