The Indian National Congress faced a major political setback in Assam on Wednesday, March 18, after senior leader and Nagaon Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi.
Bordoloi, a four-time MLA from the Margherita constituency and a former cabinet minister in the Assam government, joined the BJP in the presence of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Assam BJP president Dilip Saikia.
Soon after the development, Congress workers at the Margherita Block Congress Committee office reacted strongly, removing and tearing down posters and photographs of Bordoloi from the Congress Bhawan, reflecting deep resentment over his exit.
The immediate reaction from party workers highlighted a sense of betrayal at the grassroots level, especially in Margherita, where Bordoloi had maintained a strong political base for years.
His defection marks another high-profile exit from the Congress in Assam ahead of a crucial political phase, raising concerns about internal unity within the party.
Tensions also escalated at Rajiv Bhawan in Nagaon after Bordoloi resigned from the Congress and joined the BJP, triggering sharp reactions among party workers.
Shortly after the news broke, agitated Congress workers gathered at the party office and resorted to vandalism. Posters and banners of Bordoloi were torn down and set on fire, as slogans were raised against the former leader, expressing anger over his sudden move.
Several workers expressed disappointment, saying the decision came as a shock. “We are deeply hurt. We never expected this from him. We learned a lot under his leadership, and he guided us forward. If there were differences, they could have been resolved through discussion. This is like a family—disagreements happen, but that does not mean one walks away,” a worker said.
Another party member alleged that Bordoloi had been politically supported by senior Congress leader Rakibul Hussain, who brought him from Margherita to Nagaon and helped him rise to become a Member of Parliament. “After becoming MP, he distanced himself and began engaging in activities that raised questions among people. His joining the BJP will not impact the Congress party,” the worker claimed.
