Cong Jolted Ahead Of Assam Polls As MP Pradyut Bordoloi Joins BJP
I have decided to quit Congress not only for self-respect but also to work in the larger interest of Assam : Bordoloi
Guwahati : In a fresh major political setback ahead of the ensuing Assembly polls, sitting Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi on Wednesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in presence of Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who announced that Mr Bordoloi would be contesting the assembly polls.
Stating that he was compelled to take this decision in the wake of growing dominance of Uttar Pradesh leader Imran Masood in the state politics, Mr Bordoloi said that it was not the only reason that led to his resignation from the party. “I have decided to quit Congress not only for self-respect but also to work in the larger interest of Assam,” said Mr Bordoloi who reminded that he was sacrificing three and half years of remaining tenure of parliament.
Pointing out that he was feeling humiliated and ignored since he supported the candidature of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in AICC election for Congress president, Mr Bordoloi said that it was a difficult decision for him to leave Congress to which he was serving since the age of 16.
About his son being given a ticket from Margherita assembly seat by the Congress party, Mr Bordoloi clarified, “I have told him to take a decision on its own. Before joining the BJP today I spoke to him and apprised him of my decision to join the BJP. He is mature enough to decide his future course.”
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who welcomed Mr Bordoloi in the party in New Delhi told reporters, “Today the sitting Congress MP has joined BJP. As you know, Pradyut Bordoloi is a senior MP. His joining BJP will definitely strengthen BJP.”
Mr Sarma said that the new recruit from the Congress, who was the chairman of the Congress manifesto committee for the Assembly polls, will "strengthen our party".
Informing that joing of Mr Bordoloi was approved by the BJP national president, Mr Sarma said the Assam state unit will recommend the central leadership that he should fight the state election. “We want to bring all the good Congress leaders who are currently there into the BJP,” said Mr Sarma.
Mr Bordoloi's resignation comes a month after former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah joined the BJP, who served in the Congress for three decades.
Mr Bordoloi's son Prateek is a Congress candidate from Margherita seat for the state polls due on April 9.
In the one-line resignation letter addressed to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Mr Bordoloi said, “With an overwhelming sense of sadness today, I hereby tender my resignation from all posts, privileges and the primary membership of the Indian National Congress.”
The Congress has three Lok Sabha MPs from Assam -- state president Gaurav Gogoi (from Jorhat), Mr Bordoloi and Mr Rakibul Hussain (Dhubri).
Another senior Assam Congress leader and a close aide of Bordoloi, Nabajyoti Talukdar, also resigned from the party earlier on Tuesday. A ticket contender from the Guwahati Central seat, Mr Talukdar resigned after another member was named for the seat.
