Guwahati, March 18: In a significant political development ahead of the Assam Assembly elections, senior Congress leader and Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi on Wednesday. He was inducted into the party in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and state BJP president Dilip Saikia.

A two-time Member of Parliament from the Nagaon constituency, Bordoloi has long been a prominent face of the Congress in Assam. He also served as a Cabinet Minister in the Tarun Gogoi-led government.

Welcoming him into the party, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted Bordoloi’s long political journey and described his move as a significant boost for the BJP. “Today, the sitting MP from Nagaon, Pradyut Bordoloi, has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is a two-time MP and a former minister in the Tarun Gogoi Cabinet. His association with the Congress dates back to 1975. His joining will definitely strengthen our party,” Sarma said.

He further underscored what he described as Bordoloi’s “sacrifice” in making the switch. “Pradyut Bordoloi has joined the BJP by sacrificing his Lok Sabha seat. He did not join the BJP to get something. When we joined the BJP, we did not sacrifice much—honestly, we joined to gain something. But Bordoloi is different,” Sarma said.

“He still had three-and-a-half years left as a Member of Parliament, yet he chose to leave and join the BJP. If he is given a ticket for the Assembly in the future, our karyakartas should support him,” he added.

Explaining his decision, Bordoloi cited ideological differences and dissatisfaction with the Congress leadership. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, he said, “A Congress MP from Uttar Pradesh, Imran Masood, who was given responsibility in Assam, refused to sing Vande Mataram. In all our Congress meetings, we have always sung it. I was deeply hurt by his refusal. It reflects a mindset I cannot agree with.”

He added, “I am dissatisfied with the functioning of the Congress. There are many issues within the party. This was not an easy decision—it was a difficult one. I decided to join the BJP after observing the work of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and I am satisfied with his leadership.”

With Bordoloi’s exit, the Congress has now lost one of its three sitting MPs from Assam, weakening its parliamentary presence at a crucial juncture as parties intensify their campaign efforts across the state.

Bordoloi, who represented the Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency, had submitted his resignation to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge before switching sides.

His move comes less than a month after former Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah crossed over to the BJP, further fuelling concerns within the party over a steady erosion of its leadership base ahead of the polls.

Also Read: Pradyut Bordoloi: Veteran Congress leader’s journey ends with a defining exit

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