Assam MP Pradyut Bordoloi joins BJP after quitting Congress ahead of Assembly polls

Former Congress leader MP Pradyut Bordoloi on Wednesday (March 18) joined the BJP, a day after resigning from the grand old party. The MP joined the saffron party in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and state BJP president Dilip Saikia.

Reason for exit

Speaking to reporters, Bordoloi said that there were multiple issues and not just ticket allocation that led to his sudden departure from the Congress ahead of the Assembly election. Pointing out that he was in the middle of his tenure as a Lok Sabha MP, Bordoloi said that if he wanted to cling to his post, he could tolerate the humiliation and continue to remain in Congress.

Also Read: Assam polls: 5 key issues set to headline campaign rhetoric

"For me, getting a ticket was not a question of life and death. There were multiple issues. What was important for me was to hold my head high. The Congress party has given me a lot," he said.

"I want to make it very clear that I am in my second term in Lok Sabha, and there are another three years to go. I could have accepted the humiliation if I wanted to remain as an MP. But I decided to leave and work," he added as quoted by ANI.

What CM Himanta said

Speaking to reporters, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said additional leaders are set to switch sides, naming Navajyoti Talukdar, who recently stepped down as the Congress’ state vice president , among those expected to join the BJP in Guwahati in the coming days.

"There are a lot of people like Navajyoti Talukdar and others who will join (the BJP) in Guwahati. We are going to clear our party list for candidates this evening. Other people will join in the next two to three days in Assam itself," he said.

"Sitting MP from Nagaon, Pradyut Bordoloi, has joined the BJP. His history with the Congress party goes back to 1975; his joining the BJP will strengthen the BJP. We all welcome him to our party. 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," he added.

Reactions and developments

Earlier in the day, Navajyoti Talukdar, who also resigned as the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) Vice-president yesterday, said that Bordoloi would join the BJP.

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"Today, our MP Pradyut Bordoloi is joining the BJP. The Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, is a very dynamic leader. We have spoken to the Chief Minister of Assam," he said.

What Priyanka Gandhi said

Reacting to the MP’s resignation from Congress, Priyanka Gandhi termed it “very unfortunate.”

"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," said Priyanka.

Also Read: Dissent brews in Congress over Assam seat-sharing even as party releases 2nd poll list

After Bordoloi stepped down, the Congress named his son as its candidate from the Margherita Assembly constituency for the upcoming polls.

His exit comes roughly a month after former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah crossed over to the BJP, ending a three-decade-long association with the party.

Assam election schedule

Polling for all 126 Assembly constituencies in Assam will take place in a single phase on April 9, with counting scheduled for May 4, the Election Commission of India said on Sunday.

Also Read: Congress releases second list of 23 candidates for Assam Assembly elections

The contest in the state is expected to be between the ruling BJP-led NDA and the Congress across the 126 seats. The BJP, under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, will seek a third straight term in office, while the Congress will attempt to dislodge the incumbent government and return to power.